Destiny
by Lightspeed Bubba
Summary: Fate has a funny way of bringing two people back together. A decision is made, a locker flies, and the destiny of everyone in the world of Remnant is forever changed. (Re-written as Course Correction)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: It feels good to get back to writing Fanfics after so long. I hope you all enjoy this revised and extended chapter 1.**

After sprinting all through Beacon Academy, Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos finally descended the main stairs, leading them into the primary courtyard. Despite all the training the two had been doing, they still were forced to stop and catch their breath. Jaune doubled over, lungs burning in agony, his knees were weak, his arms might as well have been boulders. His entire being was exhausted. Despite that though, his mind was a whirlwind of emotion and moving pieces. He had an idea of what was going on but what did all mean? Was Ozpin going to be OK? Were him and Pyrrha gonna be OK? The Champion simply took stock, surveying the damage. Even her impressive endurance was wearing thin, a one on one fight with Penny had transferred into an all-out Grimm assault. All of that topped off with the White Fang making their move. Then there was Cinder. Her thoughts shifted back to Penny. Dear gods, she had killed her. Literally ripped her apart in front of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people. She was a monster, a murder. Her thoughts were interrupted by the blond at her side.

"OK, I think I have Glynda's number." His fingers glided across the screen to his contacts but he couldn't stop shaking. He couldn't focus. None of the names on his Scroll were making any sense, all reading "error." Over and over again, up and down. There were no names, something was wrong. Why couldn't he find anyone? "Where is it?" He kept checking, over and over again. Something was very, very wrong. His eyes moved up to his partner. "Pyrrha? What was all that?" Pyrrha was silent for a moment, trying to think of the words. Where did she even start? How do you explain to someone that a fairy tale wasn't just real, but powerful enough to end the world as we know if the power from that story gets into the wrong hands? She had started to answer him but the words fall silent on her lips as the ground quakes beneath them. Through the broken elevator door on the far side of the main building, a figure skyrocketed up the shaft, a trail of blazing fire in her wake. The world ended there, their last hope at stopping that woman, that monster, had failed in the basement. For a moment, there's no air in their lungs, no beats in their hearts, no thoughts in their minds. It was Jaune who broke the silence that had set in. "But… Ozpin…" When they'd left, Ozpin said he'd handle it….

Pyrrha dropped her gaze and shook her head. .

"There's no time." She turned her eyes to her partner and shouted. "GO! Get to Vale and call for help!" It went against everything she wanted but she had to. If anything, Pyrrha needed Jaune to be safe, everyone else be damned. The blond had taken a step back, raising an eyebrow. .

"Huh? What're you gonna do?" The redhead had turned her gaze to the top of Beacon Tower. It didn't take Jaune more than a second the see the thought going through her head. "No… No, Pyrrha you can't! You saw how powerful she is! Pyrrha I won't let you do-" Before he could finish his thought, she'd moved in, her lips meeting his., Jaune's initial surprise had worn off and he closed his eyes, hands finding her hips. She was softer than one would expect a hardened warrior to be. She tasted like peppermint, a flavor that, up until that moment, he had hated. For a moment, just a single second, nothing else mattered. The attack, the Grimm, Ozpin, Cinder. For just a single second in time, amidst all the chaos, they weren't two people fighting for their lives and their school, they weren't warriors. In that single point in history, they were only Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune Arc, friends, partners, and if they survived all this, maybe something more. But all good things must come to an end and the red headed Champion, the Invincible Girl, and the love of Jaune Arc's life, slowly pulled away. Millions of things were moving at Mach speed in the blond's mind. He had so many questions that he wanted answers. Before he could ask any of them however, the redhead's lips morphed into a frown. No, it was something much deeper than that, a look that you gave someone when you knew you'd never see them again. She spoke.

"I'm sorry." With a shove, Jaune Arc was driven back into a nearby locker, the door slamming closed. His hands pushed against the door, he wanted more than anything for it to swing back open. It was useless and he knew it. His eyes pleaded with the girl in front of him and soon his voice joined in.

"Pyrrha! Please don't do this!" Her eyes met his one last time as she stepped back. The locker blazed a path through the night sky, away from the Beacon Tower. The redhead tracked the object, praying for his safety and then for his forgiveness. Tears stung her eyes as she made her way back into the building. She was going to finish this, one way or another.

As the locker sailed through the air, Jaune could feel his world start to fall apart all over again, Pyrrha was going to get herself killed if she went up there. There wasn't a doubt in his mind about that. She was one of the most powerful students at Beacon but she was still a student and that woman had just worked through Ozpin. Pyrrha didn't stand a chance alone. He had to do something, anything. Fate works in mysterious ways though, and in that moment, Jaune Arc got his "anything." As luck would have it, he was flying towards a flock of Griffons; the massive Grimm monstrosities didn't take too kindly to the steel contraption, snatching the locker out of the air like a steak for a pack of dogs. The sudden stop in movement caused the blond to slam into the front, his aura absorbing some of the impact but not enough that it didn't sting quite a bit. Another problem had presented itself on account of the Griffons beginning to tear into the steel, trying to get at their prey inside. "Oh no. Oh nonononononono!" The door was ripped off the hinges and Jaune kicked a leg out, catching one of the creatures in the beak. In response, it shook the flying coffin, rattling Jaune around. The very real fear of falling to his death had risen its head thanks to the missing door.

Another Griffon smashed into the side, damaging what little remained of the navigation system. More shaking led to the boy flying out and only saving himself by grabbing onto the bottom. Now hanging out in the open, the Griffons closed in, pecking and nibbling as his aura and armor clad flesh. He knew his aura was strong but it was fading fast and wouldn't hold out forever. He had to get out of this and find a way to get back to Pyrrha. Jaune could feel his aura draining and his grip weakening. He pulled himself up back into the locker and attempted to curl into a ball in the very back of the locker. With no door to protect him, this was his best chance at survival.. More claws and beaks slashed through the metal, beaks and faces making their presence known.. It was then though, that Jaune had an idea.

He uncurled, stood, and slammed his shoulder into the back wall, trying to change the direction of the locker. He was semi-successful in his attempt but the Griffon still held tight. So Jaune did the only thing he could do, he pulled Crocea Mors from the scabbard on his hip and slashed at the Grimm's talons. With an ear-splitting shriek, the beast released the locker. It continued its flight, however, with the damage to the navigation system, it defaulted back to its origin point. The locker screamed through the night sky again and Jaune slide Crocea Mors back into its sheath, he returned to his curled form in the back of the locker, bracing for impact. It was then though that another problem reared its ugly head: his stomach. It began to churn, roaring like the sea and the blond Huntsman closed his eyes, praying to whatever was up above to help him now.

As the locker shoots through the sky, Jaune could see the Grimm Dragon smash into Beacon Tower, the walls crumbling down and glass shattering. The massive monster then ascended back into the night sky. Inside the remains of the building, he could see Pyrrha crawling to get her shield. Cinder peered down at her, floating as the power of the Fall Maiden coursed through her veins. Fire erupted from Cinder's hands, causing the Invincible Girl to dance back and forth. Jaune had seen Pyrrha fight defensively before in Goodwitch's class but this was so much more than that. There was no strategy, no skill, just a need to dodge and hope. She was so out of her depth but the blond knew that never stopped her before. He saw the redhead put everything she had into a throw of her shield. The attack would've been a feat to dodge had she been fighting a student, the shield flying like a bronze disc of pure energy. Against Cinder though? It might has well been a Frisbee. However, the shield wasn't meant to be an attack, but a distraction. Using her Semblance, Pyrrha hoisted the massive steel cogs which surrounded the area after the destruction of the clock they housed. With the twitch of her finger, her shield careened from the far side of the arena, knocking Cinder's knees from under her and returning to her hands. Then she slammed her hands down, trapping the newly crowned Maiden beneath what had to be at least a ton of steel. The metal prison didn't hold her for long and Cinder extracted herself from beneath the cogs, sending them flying as if they were toys.

The Maiden materialized her weapon, a large black bow, and loosed an arrow as the redhead hurled Akoúo̱. The arrow and the shield appeared to be on a collision course until the projectile dissipated and reformed behind the bronze disc. It suddenly dropped, embedding itself into the Champion's ankle bringing her to the ground. A grunt of pain escaped her lips, knowing her Aura spent. She attempted to stand but this only grinded the arrow further into her bone. With another grunt, she falls to the ground. The redhead reaches down, contemplating whether to pull it out or not. She touched the tip and a lance of pain went through the injured ankle. Pulling it out wasn't an option so she defaulted to plan B; breaking it. Contact with the arrow was agonizing but she fought it down, snapping it in half. Cinder crossed the makeshift arena to stand before the fallen Champion. She crouched cupping Pyrrha's chin and bringing her in close. Thoughts bombarded her in that moment. Was this the end? Was she going to die here? There was still so much she wanted to do though! So many things she wanted to experience. So many things she wanted, no, needed, to say. The woman spoke, her voice dripping with arrogance.

"It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours. But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways you could have never imagined." Pyrrha gazed into the Fall Maiden's amber eyes, they crackled with power. Pyrrha could practically feel it emanating from the woman. The redhead swallowed her fear, she would not die begging. So she replied.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Before Cinder could even answer the question, Jaune's makeshift missile collided with her. It drove the woman into the concrete, skidding her all across it before coming to a stop against the debris. The impact had stunned her, after all, does anyone expect a locker to come flying out of the sky? Jaune dragged himself from the the wreckage, bloody and bruised, rushing to Pyrrha's side as fast as his body would allow. He fell to his knees beside her, more pain echoing through him. Breathing was more than a challenge at this point as every time he did, another stab of agony went through him. Still, he spoke.

"Pyrrha!" He pulled her into his chest, causing him to inhale sharply; in that moment he knew he had at least a couple of broken ribs. None of that mattered now though. "Are you ok? What the hell were you thinking? What is going on!?" He feels her squeeze back and feels tears start to form in his eyes. He rests his head on her shoulder. "Why did you think you had to do this alone?" He whispers his final question. The Champion replies.

"It was my destiny Jaune. It had to be me. This was so we could have a Fall Maiden that we could trust, this was all for the greater good. I had to protect you" Ever since Jaune was a child, he was always protected. Bullies at school? His sister's stepped in. Stuck in a tree he knew he shouldn't have been in? His mom was there. In over his head, lying to get into a school he had not right to be in to achieve a dream? His partner kept his secret. Jaune Arc was tired of being protected. It was his turn to defend someone else now. Before his reply could be made though, a laugh sounded from behind.

"The greater good? To Hell with your greater good! If you want to change the world, you need power. The weak change nothing, the strong change everything." Cinder stood amidst the rubble, blood dripping down her arms as she makes her way to the two students. The calm look of control she had before was replaced with something far more primal. Unbridled rage coursed through her veins, they had ruined her moment! She was going to make them pay for that. Slowly she stalked towards them. "Which is why neither of you will live to see me turn this world upside down" The students broke their embrace and Pyrrha lunged out but at this point, she has nothing left to give. Cinder deflects the feeble attack and delivers a swift kick to the Champion's ribs, sending her flying into the debris across the dilapidated arena. Jaune tried to retaliate, turning and bringing Crocea Mors to bear but Cinder was much faster, slapping his sword from his hand. The strength behind the blow was staggering. He knew his grip wasn't as strong as it could've been but she looked like she was knocking a toy out of a child's grasp. The blond hefted his shield up to charge her but she swept his legs from beneath him and summoned her bow. She drew back an arrow and sneered. Jaune felt her heel stomp into his broken ribs, more pain exploded through him, his mouth spitting blood. It was unbearable, he couldn't have moved even if her heel wasn't holding him in place. Reality came screaming back though and it all faded. The pain, anger, sadness, and hope all evaporated. Taking its place was pure fear, it paralyzed him. His mind is screaming at him to move, kick, scream, run, do anything but die on his back. But his body didn't listen and she let the arrow fly.

Time seemed to slow down in that instant. It was like his mind couldn't process everything and it delivered the info to his brain in a slideshow format. The blond swore he could hear every millimeter of steel being shredded by the arrow, it would've been nauseating. After it finished with his chest plate, it ripped through the stitching of his favorite Pumpkin Pete hoodie. He knew it was stupid but it was the last gift he family had given him before he left for Beacon. To have it torn by an arrow felt like his whole family was being pierced by it. He closed his eyes at this point, knowing it would all be over soon. He hoped so at least. Next, the invader makes contact with his Aura. The arrow embeds itself within it but he's not dead, seems he still had something left in the tank. The impact caused more misery to flood through him but if he felt something then he was alive. Joy cleaved through the clouds of fear for a moment only to have it all overshadowed by a familiar scream.

"JAUNE!" Suddenly, a silver supernova erupted and the world descended into chaos for what must have been hours. It looked like the sun had taken up a position not twenty feet from where he lay. Cinder appeared to be just as surprised as he was however, even the Grimm Dragon that had begun to make its pass was caught off guard as evidenced by its howl. The screech of the beast eviscerated ear drums and, in but a mere second, everything was silent. Before his vision can fade to black, Jaune turned his gaze to an unmoving Pyrrha, slumped against the rubble. His head fell back, resting against the cool concrete. He never would've thought the position comfortable but it wasn't as bad as he thought. Maybe it's because he couldn't feel anything anymore. It didn't matter as the blue eyed leader of Team JNPR closed his eyes and let himself feel nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hello and welcome back to Destiny. This is coming out a little later than I planned but I wanted to try and get it right. Enjoy.**

The first thing Jaune Arc noticed after coming to was that he was no longer lying upon cold stone, instead he was wrapped up in a blanket, lying in a bed. The second thing he noticed was the immense amount of pain he was in. He felt like he'd been taken to task by a pack of Griffons and then dueled Cinder… oh wait, that actually happened. Jaune could barely open his eyes and immediately regretted attempting to as the light made everything far too bright. He then tried to sit up and regretted that as well, feeling like his abdomen had been stomped on by a Goliath. Instead of sitting up, he settled for peaking under his blanket to inspect the injured area. He spied that his entire midsection was encased in bandages; the few parts of his torso not consumed by the wrap were marred by bruises and cuts. His arms were no better, sporting numerous nicks and slices. In his left arm, an IV drip, tracing the tube back to the bag on a rack.

Jaune turned his gaze to his right, peering out the massive window to the world below him. There he saw an expansive parking lot with ambulances and cars alike filling the spaces. He was in a hospital. If the ambulances weren't a giveaway, the door on the far side of the room opened and in walked a nurse with a two trays of food. She smiled when she was that Jaune was up and spoke softly.

"Welcome back to the lands of the living, how're you feeling?" He tried to adjust himself to sit up again, wincing in pain and quitting again. The nurse set the tray down on the bedside table, standing next to his bed after pulling the privacy curtain closed behind her. . "Guess I have my answer huh?" Jaune let out a short bark of a laugh before flinching again. "You had six broken ribs and cracks in every other one, maybe no laughing for a bit huh?" Jaune nodded and let out a pained breath.

"Is Pyrrha OK?" Jaune could feel his hands start fidgeting as he waited for the answer. The nurse's lips drew into a small smile and she squeezed his hand.

"She's going to be fine, she's just down the hall." With her answer, the young Huntsman let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. His immediate reaction was to shift in his bed, to make his way to Pyrrha. As he brought his legs out from below the covers, the nurse put a hand on his chest, driving a sharp lance of pain into him. "You're not going anywhere Mr. Arc." The boy shook his head, pushing into her hand, increasing his pain.

"I need to go see her." She shook her head again.

"Ms. Nikos isn't going anywhere, and neither are you." He pushed into her hand again, setting his feet on the ground. Using the IV rack, he pulled himself to his feet, grunting with pain. With the drip as his cane, he hobbled his way across the room. He heard the nurse sigh and stand up. "Fine Mr. Arc, we'll do it your way." She made her way to his side, holding the door for him. As it swung open, a gurney carrying a fellow Beacon student. This one was not as lucky as him though. The student was bleeding profusely from a wound on her abdomen. Jaune could only stare in abject horror, watching as the last of the light left the student's eyes. Doctors and nurses began shouting, the hallway erupting into chaos. One nurse began doing chest compressions, all to no avail. Jaune tightened his grip on his makeshift cane.

"How long have I been here?" His nurse turned to him.

"A little over a day, which is why I keep telling you that you need to rest." The blonde huntsman kept trudging down the hall; he could feel his strength fading. Every step was harder than the last. He had to see her, just to make sure she was OK. Then he could rest. Jaune's body had other plans however, and as he placed a foot down, he could feel it buckle under his weight. The ground closed in and he fell face first to the tile below. Pain exploded throughout his body, the nurse rushed to his side, helping to get him back to his feet. Accepting her help, she shouldered his weight, leading him back to his room. Throughout the walk, he was fighting back tears of agony. "Stand still for a second; I'll get you a chair." He barely registered her leaving, holding onto the IV for dear life as she walks away. She returns with the chair and he flops down into it, another spike of pain invading his body. His vision fades in and out in the chair, upon waking from the third blackout; he's back in his bed. The physical distress now faded to a dull ache.

The next three days were a blur, waking up for only a minute or two at a time. During his waking hours, the only thing on his mind was getting to Pyrrha. His body, however, did not have the same determination as his mind. The nurse checked in on him frequently, always administering more medicine or bringing food he barely touched. When consciousness didn't elude him, he asked the nurse about Pyrrha and everyone else. She never went into great detail, only mentioning that they're alive. On the fourth day his curtain opened and a familiar face entered his room. Jaune beamed as he recognized the face

"Ruby!" He tried to sit up, pain making him rethink his decision. Her eyes opened in surprise.

"Jaune? You're Yang's roommate?" The boy returned her look.

"Yang's here? Is she ok?" Sorrow flashed across the Reaper's face.

"She's your roommate Jaune, how did you not know she was here?" The boy shrugged.

"The meds they have me on make me sleep a lot, I'm only up for an hour a day, give or take." Ruby nodded at this. Jaune leaned forward, his voice softening. "Is Yang OK?" Sorrow found her face but didn't leave this time. "Ruby…" He reached out, taking her hand in his. "What happened Ruby?"

"The team had gotten separated and Blake was fighting off some members of the White Fang when someone named Adam showed up. He's pretty much the leader of the White Fang. He made them into what they are today. That's why Blake left. Yang caught up to her and attacked him. When she did though, Adam cut one of her arms off." Her speaking stopped, as if reliving the experience over and over again. Jaune stared down at his own hands, not even able to imagine it. Ruby continued on. "She's alive, which is good, but she's still in a kind of state of shock. Dad's on his way but with communications down things are all messed up." Jaune nodded, still staring at his own hands.

"Is your dad OK?" He broke the silence that had fallen over the two friends. Ruby nodded, her mood perking up, if only slightly.

"Yea he's fine, worried sick but he's OK. Uncle Qrow has been keeping Dad updated on Yang's condition and is trying to get him into the city now. The Atlas soldiers have the whole city locked down." Jaune nodded absently again, the crushing silence returning. "How are you feeling? I saw the arrow sticking out of your chest and everything went white" The Arc turned up to meet her gaze.

"What was that exactly?" Ruby shrugged.

"I really don't know. I saw you and Pyrrha and…" her eyes went wide." Pyrrha! How is she? Is she OK?" It was Jaune's turn to shrug.

"I tried going to see her the other day but I fell in hallway and the nurse made me come back to my room…" The Arc blushed in embarrassment, his eyes lowering from hers. A small giggle emanated from Ruby. It began to grow, Jaune eventually joining in. Their small giggles building into raucous laughter. The pain in his chest still prevalent but forgotten momentarily. Their laughter was cut short by a knock on the door. Both turned to see the nurse standing with two men. Ruby shot from the bed, leaving rose petals in her wake. The impact and subsequent groan overshadowed by the shriek of the teenager.

"DAD! UNCLE QROW!" Jaune could see the splayed body of Taiyang Xiao Long. Qrow Branwen let out a small chuckle before taking a sip from his flask. The nurse shot the Huntsman a look and he held up his hands in surrender, returning the flask to his pocket.

Jaune covered his mouth, snuffing a snicker before it could come to fruition. The tall man with crow colored hair turned to face him before looking back to Ruby. His voice sounded like whiskey on the rocks.

"This the Arc kid you keep talking about, kid?" Ruby nodded.

"Uncle Qrow, Dad, this Jaune Arc." Jaune nodded, smiling slightly.

"Hi. Ruby talks about you guys a lot." Qrow nodded in reply.

"Took a lot of stones going toe to toe with Cinder like that. A lot of stones or not alotta brains." A smirk found his lips and Jaune sighed. Qrow reached down, pulling Taiyang to his feet, all three of them walking into the room, Ruby still hanging by her father's arm. The large blonde man spoke finally.

"Thank you for helping my daughters. Whatever anyone else says, to me and Qrow here, you're a hero." The Arc shook his head.

"Thank you Mr. Xiao Long but you're wrong. I'm no hero. A real hero wouldn't have let Yang get hurt, Blake either." He could feel tears welling in his eyes. "A real hero wouldn't have-" He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He could feel tears starting to sting his eyes. "A real hero wouldn't have let Pyrrha nearly die and let Cinder get away." Silent tears slid down his face and Ruby began to speak. Before the words left her lips however, Qrow cut her off.

"Bullshit." He pulled his flask back out, taking another swig. "You did the best you could, that's all anyone could ask you to do. There wasn't anything you could've done for Yang. You saved Pyrrha's life. If you weren't there, she'd be dead and not recovering down the hall. You can't save everyone. But nobody said you had to. That's why you're on a team, so you don't have to do it alone." Before the Signal instructor can continue, the nurse cleared her throat, drawing all eyes to her.

"Speaking of Ms. Nikos, I felt I should inform you Mr. Arc that she is awake and asking about you." Jaune's eyes widened and immediately he swung his legs out from beneath the covers. He felt a hand on his chest and followed the arm up to see the nurse. "Slowly Mr. Arc. We don't want a repeat of last time do we?" The boy sighed and nodded, the nurse helped him to his feet and guiding him to a wheelchair. The three family members moved to the side, allowing them to pass. As they did, Ruby flashed the Arc a small smile which he replied with a nod.

As he was wheeled down the hall, at a much slower pace than he'd have liked, he could hardly contain his excitement. It felt like ages since he'd seen his partner when in reality it had been less than a week. As they closed in on Pyrrha's room, he could hear voices coming from within. The nurse knocked and opened it to reveal Pyrrha, Nora and Ren. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to run to his team. They were his best friends, his home away from home. Nora and Ren looked no worse for wear all things considered. A couple bandages on their arms and several cuts and bruises but nothing that would leave a lasting impact.

Pyrrha, on the other hand, looked… rough. She was significantly more pale than normal. Her hair, normally kept in a tight pony tail, was let down now. It looked knotty and ragged. Her injured leg was elevated via a pulley system, and she looked to be in constant pain. Not surprising since her arms and face were marred with gashes. The steady beep of the heart monitor on her right and the IV drip on her left made for quite a scene. Still though, to Jaune, she was just as beautiful as ever. The thought of what he must have looked like crossed his mind. He probably didn't look any better than her. The remaining members of Team JNPR all turned, eyes locking with their leader's. Jaune tried to stand but was held down by the nurse's hands. Luckily for him, his team was as eager to see him as he them and Nora sprinted across the room, slamming into him with what must have been the force of an Ursa, screaming the whole way.

"JAUNEY!" The pain was intense but he didn't care, wrapping his arms around the Valkyrie, smiling the whole time. Ren took a more modest approach, walking over and attempting to drag the energetic ginger off of him.

"Nora, he's still hurt, you can't just tackle him." If she heard him she didn't act like and squeeze him tighter. He sighed and shook his head, offering Jaune a hand.

"It's good to see you again Jaune." The Arc smiled wider, accepting the hand. The nurse sighed.

"I'll leave you four alone. Please do be gentle with Mr. Arc, his ribs are still healing." Ren nodded, ever the adult of the team, and the nurse closed the door behind her. Jaune stood, Nora still hanging off him like a sloth. He peered over the ginger's shoulder to his partner. She returned his smile, waving. The blonde let out a breath, trying to pull away from Nora for just a second.

"I missed you too Nora, but please let me go." She grinned and pulled back, giving him a mock salute.

"Of course, Fearless Leader. We're so glad you're OK." Jaune nodded, before turning and pulling Ren into a hug. He was taken aback but returned the gesture after an awkward second.

"It's so good to see you guys. I was worried sick about all of you when everything was happening at Beacon." Ren patted his leader's back.

"It good to see you too. Things were hectic, but we're all OK, that's what important." The Arc was overwhelmed, eventually pulling away from the pink eyed man with a nod; it felt like he'd been alone for decades without his team around. He then made his way forward, towards his partner. His wheelchair long forgotten as he made it to her bedside. He reached out, taking a chair from the nearby wall and sitting. Their eyes never broke contact, their smiles never faltered. He reached down and took her hand in his, squeezing it.

"Hi." Never let it be said that Jaune Arc was eloquent. She giggled.

"Hello." He inclined his head, a small laugh slipping from his lips. He looked back up to see her emerald eyes stare into his.

"I can't overstate how glad I am that you're alive. When we were on the roof…" She squeezed his hand again.

"Let's not talk about that now. For now, let's just be together as a team for a while." Jaune couldn't agree more as he felt Ren and Nora behind him. They crowded around the bed, all pulling in for a group hug. Everything was just as it should be.

A knock at the door sounded and they pulled apart. The door opened to reveal another nurse, a different one than Jaune's, with a red-headed woman. Pyrrha broke the silence first.

"Mother?"

 **A/N. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always, any questions comments or concerns can be put into reviews or sent to me with a PM. Critical reviews are always appreciated since I'm trying to make this as good as it can be. May fortune favor you all.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Hello and welcome to Chapter Three of Destiny. I really enjoyed writing this one and I hope you all enjoy reading it just as much.**

All eyes were on the red headed woman as she walked in. She could've been Pyrrha's sister, the only difference being that the older Nikos had deep laugh lines on her cheeks. She wore a soft smile, speeding further into the room. The smile faltered and her hands came up, covering her mouth as she spied her daughter. Crossing the room, the rest of team JNPR separated. A racked sob escaped the older woman as she brought her daughter into a tight hug.

"Pyrrha, oh my little Pyrrha. I'm so glad you're OK." It was easy to hear the tears in her voice but the graciousness and joy were also apparent. Jaune shifted his eyes to his partner, tears forming in her own eyes. The pain on her face appeared to be significant but she squeezed her mother back. The older woman kissed the top of her daughter's head. "What happened? Are you OK?" Pyrrha slowly pulled herself away.

"Beacon was attacked during the Vytal Festival, a woman named Cinder brought the Grimm and White Fang, and they took control of the Atlas fleet and disabled the CCT. It was chaos. I was fighting Cinder in the Tower and she would've killed me had it not been for Jaune." Pyrrha's eyes met the blonde's and he blushed slightly. Her mother nodded, turning and pulling him into a hug just as tight as the one she gave her daughter.

"Thank you thank you thank you. I can't thank you enough for protecting her." The pain in Jaune's ribs flared up and he winced audibly. The older woman pulled away. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you." Jaune shook his head.

"I'll be fine, just need to recover a little." She nodded before aiming her tear-filled gaze at Ren and Nora.

"I thank you two as well for helping take care of my Pyrrha." Nora smiled and pulled the older woman into a deep embrace, Ren sighed and nodded. The older Nikos, to her credit, returned the hug without argument as Jaune and Pyrrha shared a smile. Nora eventually let her go and Ms. Nikos turned back to her daughter. "Did they give you a timetable on your recovery?" Pyrrha's smile faltered.

"Aura exhaustion coupled with broken ribs and a shattered ankle. Even with Aura helping my recovery, it will be about two or three months." Her mother nodded, taking her hand. She squeezed it softly before turning back to her daughter's team.

"What about you three?" Nora answered first.

"Me and Renny should be good as new in a few days. We got lucky with a few cuts and bruises." Ren nodded, confirming her statement. Jaune spoke next.

"A few weeks, six broken ribs and fractures in every other." Pyrrha turned her head in shock.

"Jaune! Why didn't you tell me you were that hurt?" The blonde sighed, a small grin on his lips.

"Haven't exactly had the time Pyr. They've kept me in bed for the last few days after I tried moving around when I woke up." Pyrrha hardened her gaze.

"Why would you do something so foolish? You know your body needs rest." Jaune blushed a bit at her concern.

"I had to know you were OK." He let the words hang in the air, Pyrrha turning as red as her hair, her eyes finding her hands. A clearing of Ms. Nikos's throat brought them both crashing back to reality, remembering that they weren't alone in the room. Nora latched onto Ren's arm, smiling and whispering something in his ear. He sighed and shook his head, mumbling something that sounded distinctly like "stay out of it." Jaune raised an eyebrow at the two before feeling eyes on him. He turned to see the older Nikos staring at him intensely. Pyrrha had yet to look up from her hands and her face had yet to return to its normal color.

"Anyway…" Her mother stated. "I'm glad you're all OK. Do you all know what you're going to do next?" Four sets of eyes turned to the older woman. It was Jaune to break the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, from the way you described it, when you all are all healed up you don't have a school to go back to. None of you are full Hunters yet either so you can't take missions or jobs. Obviously Pyrrha is going to come back with me to Mistral and attend Haven. What about the rest of you?" They hadn't thought about it honestly. What were they going to do? Beacon was out of commission and they were only first years. Jaune lived in Vale, he guessed he could go back home to Ansel and stay with his family. How would he explain it to all of them? Would they accept him home so soon? Would they think him a failure? All that work, all that training and lying he did to get to Beacon, to finally achieve his dream of being a Huntsman. To see it all that effort was now wasted because of Cinder.

Ren and Nora had it even worse; there was no home to go back to. Jaune thought for a second that they could come with him but the thought of adding two more people to the already stuffed household didn't seem like an idea destined for success. Maybe that could work, they were a team after all right? A team… What did that mean for them? Were they still Team JNPR? Did Beacon teams even mean anything with the school gone and the Headmaster dead? Just another thing Cinder ruined. Pyrrha's voice tore through his thoughts.

"I'm sorry but what?" The older Nikos turned her head, an eyebrow raised quizzically. "Why would I go with you?" Her mother scoffed.

"Where else can you go dear?" The realization dawned on her then. Where could she go besides back to Mistral? Back to the "friends" who only liked her for her name. Back to the isolation and loneliness that she tried so hard to get away from. All that effort, wasted. All thanks to Cinder. There was nothing for Pyrrha to say. Nora chimed in, lightening the mood.

"Why don't we all come with you and transfer to Haven?" Four pairs of eyes found their way to the ginger. She smiled. "Yea, Beacon's gone and we need to keep training. Why not? We'd probably have to retake our first year but that won't be too big of a deal. It'll be great!" The gears in everyone's heads began turning. It wasn't a completely ridiculous idea and they did need to complete their schooling. They didn't have many other options and staying together was one of their top priorities. Jaune brought a hand to his chin, mulling the idea over.

"We'd need a place to stay in the time being while we all wait for the next semester to start."

"You could all stay with us." All eyes turned to injured redhead. Pyrrha turned to her mother. "It's just myself and mother at our house so we have plenty of space and they need to stay somewhere. It makes the most sense to have them already be in Mistral." Jaune chimed in immediately.

"We wouldn't want to impose." Silence had enveloped the room again. Jaune couldn't help but hope, despite what his mind was telling him. The older Nikos broke that lull with a sigh, speaking.

"I suppose you all could stay until Haven's classes start." Eyes went wide and mouths dropped open. Even Ren's excitement was visible. "But! You would all follow my rules to the letter." A series of nodding heads was the only reply. The older woman took her daughter's hand again. "I'll be in town until you're well enough to be taken home. Until then, please rest dear. I know how you are when you're forced to be idle." Pyrrha smiled, giving a gentle squeeze of the hand.

"I promise." With that, the older Nikos kissed the Champion on her cheek, nodded to the rest of Team JNPR and left. As the door closed behind Ms. Nikos, Nora threw her arms in the air, shouting.

"We're gonna be roommates!" Ren chuckled and replied.

"Nora, we were all roommates at Beacon." The ginger gripped her chin, pondering her next words.

"We're gonna be roommates again!" She would hear no argument and none were made, all happy to just be together again. Jaune pulled himself to his feet, speaking to the injured Champion.

"We should go and let you rest, the faster you do that the faster we can all get out of here." He turned to make his way out but stopped as Pyrrha grabbed his hand, his head turning and their eyes meeting.

"Can we talk? Just for a second?" Jaune was hesitant, they both needed rest and he wasn't sure he wanted to have this conversation in front of their teammates. Ren read the room and turned to Nora.

"Come on Nora; let's go get something to eat." She let out a whine.

"But I wanna hear them confess to each other!" Blush exploded across Jaune and Pyrrha's faces, their eyes averting from one another. Ren put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get you pancakes." Nora gave quick hug to Jaune and Pyrrha before sprinting out the door. She waited at the door, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Come on slow poke. Pancakes await!" Ren let out a sigh before shaking his head and following his friend into the hall. He turned back to his teammates, only nodding before closing the door behind him. The silence that fell over them was astounding as Pyrrha noticed she still had the blonde's hand. They both pulled away upon discovering this, their blush deepening. Jaune retook his seat beside her bed.

"Jaune…"

"Pyrrha…" They both stopped upon hearing the other's voice. A small laugh was shared between the two and the blonde gestured to her. "Please, you first." Pyrrha nodded, continuing.

"I wanted to talk about what happened. About what I did that night." Jaune's smile faltered but he inclined his head, waiting for her to keep going. "First of all, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not telling you what was going on from the start. You're my teammate and my best friend, I should've told you." A sigh escaped her lips. "I'm sorry for shoving you in that locker and sending you away, I'm sorry for leaving you behind." She refused to meet his gaze, eyes traveling down to her injured foot; a penance for her crimes. The Champion couldn't stop thinking back to that night, her only goal was to protect the people she cared about, to try and do the right thing. Jaune threw a wrench in those plans, he always did. When he was around, she wanted to be selfish, she wanted to put herself first for once, and she wanted him. Was that really so bad of her? Has she not earned the right to be a little selfish?

She knew she hadn't, nobody ever did. That's why she put him in that locker, knowing what he'd say, knowing how confused and scared he'd be, knowing that she'd be going on a suicide mission. She put duty above herself. That was what was expected of the Invincible Girl, Pyrrha Nikos. It seems fate did not agree with her plans however, and had Ruby not shown up, the price she paid would've have been far higher. The silence had set in again, Jaune considering her words and Pyrrha still unable to look at him. She felt so ashamed for not trusting him and then for hurting him. The redhead broke the silence she had created.

"I know you can't forgive me, that you probably hate me, but I wanted to get that off of my chest. I hope, in time, that you can come to forgive me." Pyrrha expected a lot of reactions from the blond at her bedside; from anger to sadness to numbness and more silence. What she was not prepared for was laughter. A soft sound that might have been Pyrrha's favorite. She couldn't get over the way his eyes lit up, the way he'd toss his head back, and the little chortle that escaped his lips when he tried to suppress it. The Champion turned her head, raising an eyebrow at him. His eyes were directed purely at hers as his laugh subsided and he spoke.

"You don't know me very well if you think I hate you Pyr."

"But I-" he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"I could never hate you, there's not a thing on this planet that you could do to make me hate you. There's not a thing that I won't forgive you for either. Yes I was angry, yes I was hurt, yes I was scared but that doesn't mean I hate you. You know what the only thing going through my head as I flew through the air that night in the locker was?" She shook her head. "I was worried about you; I wanted to get back to you so I could be by your side again and not just because you kissed me." She blushed at that. "You forgive and you move on. That's what you do for the people you love." The words knocked all of the air out of Pyrrha's body. Did he say "love"? Her eyes brightened, her heart sped up to what must've been a million beats per minute. Her hands suddenly went clammy. Another chuckle escaped his lips. "I hope that wasn't a platonic "last moments so I need some good luck" kiss." A massive smile found her face again and she shook her head, laughing.

"N- no. That definitely wasn't one of those." Blush found her cheeks again and he took hold of her hand once more.

"I felt so stupid. I didn't realize how much you meant to me until you put me in that locker. When you kissed me I didn't want it to end, we could've stayed like that forever and I would've been fine with that." He exhaled, thumb rubbing against the top of her hand. "Pyrrha Nikos, let it be heard all throughout Remnant that I love you." Pyrrha could've sworn her heart stopped, this was a dream. It had to be a dream brought on by the medicine. She was still asleep in bed. Her eyes found his hand and she squeezed. It felt real, that was all real! Her smile grew, more than she thought it could as she pulled him in. Their lips met, he tasted of Jell-O and mint. If Pyrrha didn't know any better, she would've said that time stopped in that moment. All her pain melted away and the only thing that mattered to her was the blond she was met with. As soon as it started however, it stopped and he pulled away.

"Would you like to go on a date sometime?" She had to stop herself from nodding immediately, emerald eyes tracing her body. With her injuries as severe as they are, she wouldn't be walking anytime soon without help, let alone going on a date. He seemed to understand the thoughts in her head and kept speaking. "I don't mean now, but when we're both healed. Would you like to get dinner with me then?" The smile found her lips again and she leaned in, resting her forehead against his.

"Of course. Of course I'll get dinner with you." Two sets of eyes closed as they simply reveled in each other's presence. A comfortable silence had set in. A sigh fractured the quiet scene as Jaune moved his face away.

"I don't want to but you need your rest and, if we're being honest, so do I." He kissed her cheek softly and she nodded. He pressed into her bed, slowly bringing himself to his feet. "I'll be back again tomorrow and every day after that, OK?" She smiled again.

"Of course. Sleep well..." She hesitated, should she say it? Would it be weird? He just said it earlier but was this too much? Maybe she just needed to stop overthinking. He'd already said it, the risk was minimal. "I love you Jaune." His name tasted differently on her tongue, better sweeter. A grin found his face.

"I love you, too." With one final smile, he turned, limping to the door. He pulled it towards him, causing Ren and Nora to spill to the floor in front of him. He shook his head, sighing. "I thought you guys went to get food." Nora spoke with feigned confusion.

"Wait. This isn't the cafeteria. Ren! You said to make a left at the corner and we'd be there." The black haired boy shrugged and Jaune shook his head again, limping into the hall. Ren, to his credit, followed the Arc, getting the forgotten wheelchair and settling him into it. Nora sprinted to Pyrrha's bedside again. "Tell me everything!" Pyrrha felt her cheeks redden again but began to recount the tale that they no doubt just heard. Not that she minded, she'd be replaying this over and over again in her head for a long time.

 **A/N: So things are definitely looking up for Team JNPR. We're closing in on the ending, which will be either the next chapter or the one after that. Either way, I'm glad you could all share this journey with me. Please give me a review and tell me what you think, if you hated it, tell me why. If you loved it, same deal. If you can't do any of that then share it with a friend who might be into this. If you can't do either of those things than thank you for reading this nonetheless. May fortune face you all.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Welcome to anther installment of Destiny. A quick note before we get started, I went and updated chapter one so it's a lot cleaner and there's more detail. Go give it another read and tell me what you think.**

Time at the hospital is never fun, Jaune remembered when he was younger, going there with his family when his youngest sister, Marron, fell down the stairs and broke her arm. The food was bad, the atmosphere was too sterile, the smiles were fake and everything felt off. This trip should've been no different, worse in fact, since he was the patient. This wasn't the case however, even as the days blended together and he was confined to his cot more than he wanted to be, it wasn't all that bad. Ren and Nora would drop by every day, Ruby as well but she was, understandably, focused more on Yang. They still spoke though, he kept trying to bring that lively smile back but it was a challenge, Yang's injury really shook her. If Jaune was honest with himself, it got to him as well. Yang and he were never especially close, but she was always this bastion of positivity and determination, always smiling or cracking a joke. To see her silent and docile was unnerving. As bad as it was to think though, he was glad it wasn't him.

The more he thought about it, the luckier he felt. His team was still together, two of them visiting daily for hours on end, he nearly had to force them to leave, and his partner (girlfriend?) was just down the hall. His injuries weren't that severe and no one on JNPR suffered any damage that wouldn't heal with time. The times he spoke with Ruby though showed that their sister team was having a much worse time than them. Jaune learned that Blake had up and left. After she got Yang help, she disappeared into the night, no message, no note, no nothing. Weiss's father had shown up out of the blue, a veritable fleet of bullheads in tow, to take her back to Atlas. He claimed he didn't trust the hospitals in Vale but everyone knew better. He'd never agreed with Weiss going to Beacon in the first place and now he had an excuse to take her back home. Thinking of Weiss brought memories and concerns of his own family to the forefront of his mind. What were they doing? Do they know what happened to him? To Beacon? It had still only been a week since the school fell and he had no idea if the CCT was even standing, let alone up and running again. It was entirely possible they had no idea anything was out of the ordinary. After all, Ansel was a village on the outskirts of the kingdom.

The boy sighed, turning his attention to the knock that sounded on his door. In walked Nora and Ren, the same time as always. Nora pulled him into a tight hug; the pain that usually came with a Nora Hug was less severe now, down to a strong ache as opposed to a crippling sting. Now that he thought about it though, those were normal feelings he had when she hugged him so maybe he was healing faster than he thought, either that or his ribs had been broken for a while. Ren helped him to his feet while Nora rambled on about breakfast or something, Jaune wasn't paying her much mind at the moment. He was finally given the go ahead to walk again, no longer confined to the wheelchair by the nurse's orders. He felt free. The three teens made their way down the hall to Pyrrha's room which had become a pseudo-meeting area on account of the bedridden status of the Champion. Thoughts of the redhead replaced the worry about his family quickly. Neither of the two knew exactly what they were as there had never been a real date so they couldn't be dating and it didn't feel right to Jaune to call someone his girlfriend that he hadn't even gone on a proper date with. Pyrrha was just rolling with it, happy to have cemented something other than a simple friendship with the blond.

The group opened the door after knocking, revealing Ms. Nikos at her daughter's bedside again. She turned and offered a kind and familiar smile, seems Pyrrha inherited quite a bit from her mother. The Champion leaned back from her mother, smiling at her team.

"Hello." Her voice as cheerful as always. She was looking better than she had at the start of their time in the hospital, having finally gotten her hair brushed and a decent washing. Her foot still hung elevated but most of the bruising that marred the rest of her body had begun to fade, shifting from a deep purple to a more yellowish tint, even some color had begun to find its way back to her body. The rest of Team JNPR exchanged greetings with the two, another bone crushing hug from Nora, a nod from Ren and a much softer hug from Jaune. When the Arc reached Pyrrha he even tried to sneak a small kiss to her cheek, he was caught of course, by the older Nikos, learning this from clearing of the throat and the feeling of her eyes burning holes in the back of his head. The older woman spoke.

"There's good news today." Pyrrha nodded, letting her mother deliver the message. "It seems the doctors have deemed it safe to take Pyrrha home today." Massive grins found everyone in the room and wishes of good will were given. "Also" the woman continued, "I've been thinking, since you were all going to be staying with us come school season, would you all like to start that a bit early? Early as in, today?" All eyes turned to the woman. She turned her own eyes, deep sea green eyes in contrast to her daughter's vibrant emeralds. "You know how demanding they are of me at work, little one, and I just thought it'd be nice to have your team around to help take care of you instead of some stranger. How does that sound?" Pyrrha smiled, leaning in to hug her mother.

"I can't thank you enough, mother." The older woman smiled, squeezing her daughter back.

"You can repay me by getting better." Pyrrha nodded and the elder Nikos turned to the others in the room. "You should all gather your things while I sign the release forms." With a nod, the group of three turned and made their way back to Jaune's room to gather up their things. They came into the room, finding Ruby sitting on Yang's bed, the curtain drawn open. The Brawler sat straight faced and silent, as she had been since arriving at the hospital. The younger girl was trying her hardest to get a reaction from her sister but it didn't seem to be working. Jaune was left wondering if there was anything he could do. He had to try at least. Making his way over, he put a hand on Ruby's shoulder. She looked up and a small smile made its way to her lips.

"Hey Jaune." She turned and waved to Ren and Nora who nodded and waved back respectively. Before he could say anything, Yang rolled onto her side, putting her back to the group. He could see that the bandages on her arm had recently been changed. Ruby sighed and stood up. The younger girl attempted to hug her sister but a hug just looks off when one party doesn't do anything. "I'll be back later, OK?" There was no response and she took a step back, closing the curtain behind her. She turned and threw herself into Jaune's chest, with a wince. he wrapped his arms around her and felt small patches of wetness seep into his gown. He softly stroked her hair for a time before she extracted herself, wiping her eyes. Ruby nodded her thanks and plastered on a smile for them. "How've you guys been?"

Jaune moved to his cot, easing himself down onto it. Some part of him didn't want to reply with anything to her question. Was it right to bring up that things were going well for him and that he was healing when her sister was never going to be truly healed? When she was literally less than a stone's throw from where he sat now? He decided to risk it

"Things have been going well I think. The doctors said my ribs should be completely healed in another couple of weeks." He turned to Nora and Ren. "You can see they're already back to full strength." To illustrate this Nora flexed her arms with various poses, Ren let out a good natured sigh and smiled faintly, if Jaune didn't know any better, he would've said they were never hurt in the first place. Ruby's smile grew, and appeared to be genuine this time.

"That's great! I'm glad you're all gonna be OK. What about Pyrrha?" Jaune smiled at the thought of the red head.

"She's good. Her doctor said it'll be a long road but she'll make a complete recovery with physical therapy. She's actually being discharged as we speak." Ruby's eyes sparked up at hearing this.

"Really? Wow. What are you guys gonna do? Are you all gonna go home?" Team JNPR shared a look. It was Ren who eventually broke the silence.

"Actually Ruby, we're all going to go with Pyrrha to Mistral." The young girl's eyebrow raised and Ren elaborated. "Well, we're going to stay at Pyrrha's house with her mom until Haven starts their next semester. Then we're going to continue our Huntsman training there." The words were like a gut punch to the girl. They were leaving? They didn't want to track down Cinder? She tried to hide her disappointment but she knew she wasn't doing a good job of it.

"That's awesome! I'm so happy you guys are gonna keep training. I know you'll all be amazing Hunters." Ruby's eyes found the floor. Jaune turned to his team and nodded. Ren and Nora took the hint and left without a fight. The blond patted spot on his cot next to him and the girl took it.

"What's wrong Ruby?" She turned and looked up at him, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"What isn't wrong at this point!? Half of my team might as well be on another planet, my sister is still hurt and won't talk to me, Dad and Qrow are getting things together in Patch so they can get Yang tomorrow, I don't even know where Zwei is." She let the words hang in the air, tears now falling openly, not even attempting to hold them back at this point. "To top it all off, my best friends are moving to another continent. Why's all this happening Jaune? Was I that bad of a leader? What did I do wrong?" The blond immediately pulled her into a tight hug, her tears staining his gown once again. "I'm going to be all alone again." Her words were quiet enough that he barely heard them. Jaune was at a loss for words. He'd never thought about how his leaving would affect Ruby and the others. He was so concerned with being with Pyrrha and keeping his team together that he never considered anyone else. Only one word was coming to his mind at this moment.

"Nope." He felt the crying girl give a sad bark of laughter.

"Nope?" She replied, leaning back to look up at him.

"Nope." He let the word pop as it left his lips. He wrapped an arm around the girl. "Things are bad, and you're not wrong for feeling down and depressed but you're still a leader. You might have been alone when you were younger, you might have been alone when we first met but you're not alone now. You wanna know why?" She sniffled and wiped her eye with a hand.

"Why?"

"Because I won't let you be. As long as we're friends, you're never alone OK? I'm a Scroll call away and it would take Heaven and Remnant itself to stop me from helping my best friend when she needed me." A small smile became etched onto her face. "This is what leaders are for right? When everything goes sideways, we've gotta be the ones to fix it. Things are really sideways in your case but that doesn't mean they can't be fixed. You don't have to do it yourself but it does have to get done." He was going to keep speaking but the girl cut him off.

"I think I get the idea Jaune. Thank you though. I really am glad you guys are all going to be OK, not so much that you're all leaving though." Jaune sighed and spoke.

"We wouldn't if we didn't have to. All of us would love to stay here in Vale but if we want to get strong enough to take the fight to Cinder, we're gonna need more training." Jaune pressed off the bed, making his way to the far side of the room was a backpack full of his belongings from the previous week sat. Inside was a pair of jeans which were marred with tears, a set of socks and underwear which were surprisingly unharmed. There was a pair of shoes underneath them. Next came his armored chest plate. On top of the various dents and nicks, there was a hole in the center. The hole had led to the creation of cracks and chips, he'd probably have to scrap it, sadly. What he was most saddened to see though, was his hoodie. The last thing his family had given him before coming to Beacon now sported a space the size of an arrowhead right over his heart. Memories flooded back to him of that night and he nearly had to sit down again. Taking a deep breath, he closed the main pocket, feeling a weight he opened and peered into the secondary. Inside sat Crocea Mors, beaten and banged up, but it was nothing that he couldn't deal with. He turned. "I'm gonna change real quick, would you mind walking us all out when we leave?" Ruby smiled and nodded as Jaune entered, closing the door behind him.

Normally, changing clothes isn't something someone would consider a challenge. Those people have obviously never done it with broken ribs. It's amazing how much is actually attached to or affected by movement of your torso. The act of removing the gown used a good chunk of the energy he saved up, wincing with every movement. First things first, underwear. It slipped on easily enough with only minor discomfort. Next came his shirt which gave him a few more struggles but he still conquered the mighty beast nonetheless. The blond plopped down on the toilet, attempting to gather his breath. He brought a hand to his ribs, cringing in pain as it made contact. It seems he wasn't healing as fast as he thought. There was a knock on the door.

"Jaune? You OK in there?" He dragged himself to his feet, bracing himself against the sink.

"Yea, I'll be OK Ruby, just sore is all." There was silence for a moment, he didn't sound very convincing but he hoped she wouldn't press.

"Alright, if you need help just ask." He smiled to himself.

"Thank you. I'll be out in a sec." Another ten minutes of struggling and grunting occurred but finally, he was dressed. Dressed, sweaty, and in pain. He decided against putting on his hoodie, if for any reason to keep the sweat from persisting, the chest plate and sword still sat in the bag. Ruby cast a glance at him as he exited the bathroom but he returned with a smile and she shrugged. The two made their way down the hall to Pyrrha's room to find the rest of Team JNPR waiting. Greetings were exchanged and smiles given. Ms. Nikos looked to Jaune.

"If anyone asks, I'm your aunt." Jaune raised an eyebrow. "I had to lie to make sure you would be discharged since you're still a minor." Jaune gave an understanding nod. "Good, now let's all get out to the parking lot, where I'll take all of us to the airport. From there we'll take a Bullhead to directly to our home." Four sets of concerned eyes all turned towards him, he flashed them all a reassuring smile. Just hearing the mention of flight made his stomach turn but he had to play it off. Who knows?. Maybe he'd gotten lucky and outgrown motion sickness in the time he's been out of the sky.

Jaune Arc definitely did not outgrow his motion sickness. He should've known better. In the hospital parking lot, Ruby said her goodbyes to Team JNPR, pulling them all into the tightest hug she could manage. It wasn't meant to be a goodbye, more of a "see you later." That's what they all told themselves at least. Promises to call and keep in contact were made; rumor around the hospital was that the CCT would be up in another couple of days so at least that was a promise that could be kept. Everything went downhill from there though. Jaune's stomach content started their rebellion against his digestive tract as soon as he spied the Bullhead. His hands went to his stomach and he groaned inwardly. A hand found his shoulder and he saw Ren and Nora, a smile plastered on the ginger's face.

"You'll be fine Fearless Leader!" She winked and gave him a thumbs up. She made her way past, Ren followed suit, handing him a bag. Jaune nodded, making a mental note to repay the boy for such a kindness. He turned and saw the Nikos family, Pyrrha gave him a look of pity and her mother sent him one of confusion. He shook his head and smiled, had to put on a show for as long as he could. Fake it till you make it.

He did, in fact, "make it" if by making it that meant surviving. Still, the blond was proud of himself for containing everything to the bag. Less so though of the pain and noises that he made during the flight. He'd taken up a spot on one of Pyrrha's sides, the other occupied by her mother. To his girlfriend's credit, she did attempt to comfort him as he loosed his dinner, lunch, and breakfast. Her hand had rubbed his back which did little to help outside of the morale boost. The vomiting wasn't even the worst part though, every time he met with the bag, his body was racked with volleys of intense pain. The heaving sent pillars of agony through his ribs that nearly brought him to tears. Ms. Nikos, in contrast to Pyrrha, appeared to be astounded by the ability how much vomit one man could produce. Eventually though, it did end and he wobbled his way from the ship, making the same vow he always did to never ride one of those again. His gaze turned to his teammates, only to find Ren and Nora staring ahead, mouths agape. Pyrrha stood off to the side, blushing slightly, the older Nikos' gaze was filled with pride. Jaune turned to follow their eyes only to end up joining two of his Team in shock. Ms. Nikos was the first to speak.

"Welcome to our humble home." Jaune would've scoffed if he could have. Calling what they were looking at a "home" was like saying a Beowulf was a "puppy." What he was looking at could more be described as a palace. The front of said palace, as he refused to call it a house, was an amalgamation of white marble columns and windows. An opulent mahogany door outlined in gold trim atop pristine steps. Everywhere he looked, there seemed to be some grandiose display of wealth. From the magnificent gold trimming, to the near endless expanse of perfectly manicured grass and hedges, all the way to the family crest that sat emblazoned on the gap between the door and the top of the porch. He'd known Pyrrha was wealthy, being a famous tournament fighter as well as starring in advertisements paid very well, but this had to be enough to give the Schnee family a run for its money. Pyrrha and Ms. Nikos slowly made their way past, the older woman gesturing to the door. "Shall we?" Ren and Nora followed after them but he felt a vibration in his pocket and stopped, pulling out his Scroll. The name of the caller read simply "Mom."

Jaune swiped a finger, smile growing, and the face of Stella Arc appeared on screen. She had the face of someone ten years younger than she was but the exhaustion of having eight children was apparent in her eyes. Laugh and smile lines decorated her face but no smile hung there now and no exhaustion could be seen in her eyes. Instead, there was an angry frown and blazing sapphires looking back at him. He knew that look though, Jaune Arc was in trouble.

"JAUNE ALEXANDER ARC, WHERE IN REMNANT HAVE YOU BEEN?" He attempted to speak but was cut off. He hadn't been called by his full name in very long time. A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the punishment he received upon hearing those dreaded words. "DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL YOU? YOU PROMISED TO CALL EVERY WEEK BUT IT'S BEEN THREE! HOW COULD YOU MAKE US ALL WORRY SO MUCH?" In the background, more faces appeared, all sporting the same angry look to varying degrees. In a house dominated by women, you learn to deal with mean looks. Had it been one or two, he could've dealt with it easily enough. Eight though? "EXPLAIN YOURSELF!" He ran his hand through his hair nervously, a shaky smile on his face.

"Hi Mom, hey guys. Umm, things have been… intense lately." A glower was his only reply. "OK, well the Vytal festival was happening and me and my team were all training so I'm real sorry I didn't call then." He turned his eyes to the ground as a sigh escaped his body. "Then, during the festival, there was an attack." He went on to explain as much as he could, from the fighting on the school grounds to Ozpin's death and his and Pyrrha's fight with Cinder. He did, however, leave out the part about the Maidens. Didn't feel right, adding another thing that he didn't understand to their list of worries. They were silent through most of it, seeming to process everything. The tale ended after he mentioned being in the hospital. Stella Arc's face was a mask of concern but relief could be seen. The fire in her eyes had faded and her tone softened.

"Well, I'm thankful that you and your team are all OK. We'll be at the hospital first thing in the morning to take you home." Jaune scratched the back of his head and let out a hesitant laugh.

"Yea, I'm not at the hospital anymore…" Mrs. Arc's eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry, I must have misheard. Did you say you're NOT at the hospital?" He let out a nervous chuckle again.

"Yea… Funny story about that, I'm actually at Pyrrha's house… in Mistral." The inferno was back in his mother's eyes. Jaune knew this was bad; he wouldn't put it past her to walk over the ocean and drag him home by his ear like when he was a child. That or his Dad, Andre, would carry him on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The thought sent more shivers down his spine and his mother spoke.

"You're. In. MISTRAL!?" A cacophony of shouts and insults were hurled from the other side of the phone. He nodded, turning his gaze to the ground. "Give me that address mister and we'll discuss this as a family tomorrow when we all arrive." Another chill went down his spine and fear crept up it. He wasn't sure what was worse, his family coming here, or Cinder. He did, however, know which woman he was more afraid of.

 **A/N: Uh-oh, someone's in trouble… I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Have a pleasant couple of weeks and as always, may fortune favor you all.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: As promised, here is Chapter 5. Sorry for the delay again but to make up for it, here's the longest chapter yet! Enjoy.**

You'd think staying overnight in what had to be the comfiest bed Jaune had ever been in would call for the best night's sleep of his life. Sadly, not only would you be mistaken, the complete opposite, in fact, was true. It was actually among the worst night's sleep he'd gotten since leaving home, nearly as bad as the first night at Beacon. All the doubts and fears were crawling back into his head. Feelings of inadequacy clouded his mind. With a sigh and a grunt, he turned from his back to his side. A wave of discomfort rode down his body but he wasn't sure if it was from his injured ribs or the fact that his death may very well occur tomorrow.

After sending the address of the Nikos' to his mother, he'd gone inside and thought. And thought. And thought. His team tried to get his attention throughout the day but he might as well have been on another planet. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't come up with a solution. Jaune knew that he wanted to attend Haven to become a Huntsman, knew that he wanted to stay here in Mistral with his team, and knew he wanted to be by Pyrrha's side while she recovered and for as long as possible afterwards. He may not know a whole lot but he was positive of those three. Actually there was four things he knew; the final being that his family was going to drag him away from all of that if he didn't do something. The problem being that he couldn't think of a single thing to convince them to let him stay.

He loved his family, he really did. What he did not love, however, was Ansel. Don't get him wrong, Ansel is nice enough, pretty scenery and it had nearly every necessity that a town needs to be successful. Jaune had always had bigger dreams though, he wanted to help people! He wanted to live up to the greatness of those that share his family name are known for. He could've joined the military or become a police officer. Hell, he could've even been a teacher but none of those had the appeal of a Huntsman though. It didn't help that every great man in his family had been a Huntsman; he would've been the first in several generations to not become one. It wasn't just his lack of skill, however, that held him back from achieving his dream. His father had refused to train Jaune. No training, meant no Combat School, no Combat School meant no Beacon, and no Beacon meant no Huntsman. Jaune persisted though, begging to be taught but his father kept telling him that he simply didn't have the time or that Jaune "wasn't ready." Every ask was met with a new excuse until the boy gave up and decided to teach himself.

Day after day, week after week, year after year, Jaune trained. He absorbed knowledge like a sponge, gathering every fragment of information that he could. Eventually, he even got pretty good at this whole Huntsman thing. Well, pretty good at the basics of combat at least; from there he could pick up things along the way. He worked with a friend of a friend of a friend's cousin to forge transcripts and sent them to Beacon. His family had been flabbergasted to learn he'd be attending the prestigious academy but they were proud of him nonetheless, even if they were absolutely sick with worry.

As Jaune lay in the large, impossibly soft bed, he thought of how simple things were back then. As if "back then" was a decade ago instead of a few months. It did feel like it was a lifetime ago though; he'd grown exponentially, and not just as a Huntsman. He could now rely on others and not worry about feeling weak and they could rely on him, trusting him to not fail. He had something to lose now aside from his family, something that would be taken from him if he didn't so something about it. Growing restless, he carefully extracted himself from the bed, making his way to the door. The hallway was dark but enough moonlight was allowed in from the many windows above and to the sides, casting the walls in a soft blue glow. Jaune slowly walked down the hall, descending the stairs and taking in how nice everything was.

At the bottom of the stairs was the main entryway, the ornate door and paneling on the sides took on a new beauty in the evening light. He turned right and saw the family room, complete with large leather couches and chairs, along with a massive television. After taking another right from that room, he reached his destination; the kitchen. He'd wanted a glass of water, to calm his nerves if anything but mostly to get him out of bed for a little while. Just as he'd settled down at the kitchen table, a light flicked on. He heard a voice from the living room he'd walked through.

"Hello?" Pyrrha. He voice was hard but with a tinge of fear in it. Jaune had been so lost in thought, he'd missed that she was staying on the couch, confined to it until she was well enough to get up flights of stairs. He stood, popping his head into the room.

"Just me Pyr, wanted some water." The fear that had been present on her face evaporated, replaced with a small smile.

"Oh, OK. You scared me for a second." He let out a light chuckle.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." She shook her head.

"No, it's fine. I couldn't really get to sleep anyway." He nodded and she shifted in the recliner, taking great care to move her leg as little as possible. "I can't get comfortable and my leg is causing me quite a bit of pain." He frowned, making his way into the room and into the chair next to her.

"I'm sorry. Did you need anything?" She sighed, eyes moving to her injury

"Can you fix my leg?" He laughed silently.

"I can't do that sadly, I would if I could though." Her eyes didn't move and he felt pity, not that he'd ever say anything, she wouldn't want it. He couldn't imagine the situation she was in, the pain she was feeling. Jaune did know a thing or two about helplessness though, he couldn't even imagine being strong and forced into that position. He reached across the short gap between them, taking her hand, "I can, however, keep you company." She looked back to him; her emerald colored eyes shining bright even in the darkness. He felt a squeeze that he returned, running his thumb over her knuckles. The bruising was essentially gone; her ribs were healing nicely, probably as far along as his own. She looked as good as usual, save for the cast on her foot.

"That's more than enough." He smiled and so did she. Pyrrha leaned back, relaxing. "What were you doing up?" Jaune's body tensed up at the question and he realized that he hadn't told anyone his parents were coming. He'd been so caught up in trying to find a solution by himself that he'd forgotten everyone else didn't know. The change in him was very visible and anyone probably could've seen it, his shoulders straightened, hands began to dampen, and his eyes moved from hers.

"I'm uh, having trouble settling in is all." She arched an eyebrow. Jaune was never good at lying, he knew it, she knew it, and most of Beacon knew it at this point. He knew she didn't buy it, she wasn't stupid and his delivery was as poor as always. Why couldn't he have a natural talent for lying? Why did it have to make him stutter and sweat? His life would've been so much easier if he ever learned how to tell a proper lie. "Jaune, who broke the vase on the table? "Gee mom, I have no idea. I'd guess Jade, she's always causing trouble." "Jade's not at home today, she's at a friend's…" How do you even get good at lying? Is it something you can practice or do you have to have a natural ability for it? One day, he'd have to find that out. A squeeze brought him back to the real world.

"Jaune, you know you can tell me when something's bothering you. We're partners, people who lend a hand to each other when needed." He sighed, his head drooping. Pyrrha was right, she usually was.

"I know and I'm sorry. The truth is… The truth is that my family is going to show up here tomorrow." Anxiety flashed across her face and it was her palm's turn to sweat. Another thought crossed his mind; what if his family didn't like Pyrrha for some reason? Their opinion meant the world to him but so did Pyrrha… Jaune saw her raise an eyebrow, she didn't get it. Why would she? Family visiting us hardly a reason to panic and sweat this much, especially when they could be just coming to check out the place he was going to be staying for a while "They want me to go back home to Ansel." The blond watched as her heart dropped into her ankles.

"Oh. " There wasn't much other to say than that.

"I don't plan on going with them. I've been trying to think of a way out of it all day; I want to stay here with the team, with you." Butterflies fluttered inside of her as he said that and she smiled involuntarily.

"Did you come up with anything?" He shook his head, eyes focused on his hands. Jaune was going to need her help… again. Jaune Arc: Perpetual damsel in distress. He'd come to Beacon so he wouldn't be the damsel anymore but it just seemed to put him in the situation more. One of these time's he'd be there to defend her again, like he did on Beacon Tower, only next time, they wouldn't almost die and have to be saved by Ruby. "Alright, let's come up with something then." His eyes moved back to her and gave him a big smile. Slowly, one found him as well. He nodded, a new determination glimmering in his eyes. Maybe this would be easier than Jaune thought.

So they talked, and planned, and schemed. Hour after hour, as the fractured moon rose high into the sky and then sank below the horizon to reveal the sun. They exhausted themselves, barely getting an ounce of sleep that night. All of this culminating in a single word; nothing. Hours of talking and discussing amounted to a hill of beans, exactly where they started. That isn't to say they didn't learn anything though; they reaffirmed their suspicion that they enjoy kissing one another. Another thing being that Jaune learned Pyrrha's eyes gain a blue tint in moonlight that he found very appealing. They also gathered that the only way Jaune would be able to stay was if they could prove that it would be best for him. After all, as protective as his family was of him, if they thought it would be best for him to remain in Mistral, they would allow it, hardly what you could call a plan of action. Well, he guessed he could run away from home… No, that wouldn't work; with his luck he'd be found out and sent home before he could even get out of Ansel.

The sun peaked over the land and light streamed into the house, right into Jaune's eyes. He shifted in his chair, grunting at the effort. The battle ensued between the cosmic entity and the boy and despite his vigorous effort, which amounted to several minutes of tossing and turning, he admitted defeat. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Jaune turned to see Pyrrha still resting, a smile crept onto his face and he exited the chair after kissing the top of her head, making his way into the kitchen. In the room were the other occupants of the house, all gathered around the table that dominated the center of the room. All eyes were on him, something that always made him a bit uncomfortable. A yawn passed his lips as he spoke.

"Morning guys, Ms. Nikos." They returned the greetings, and he assumed a spot at the table, trying to keep the claws of sleep at bay. He wished he and Pyrrha had come up with an actual plan last night but he'd just have to wing it and hope for the best, something he wasn't unfamiliar with. He did, however, have to make it known to the others, if for any other reason than it would be rude to invite people into a home that isn't your own. It was now or never, he had to tell them. He began to explain that the entire Arc Clan was going to be here in a matter of hours and they wanted to take him home with them. Their reactions went as expected, Nora immediately became outraged, latching onto his arm and not letting go. Ren was far more composed, though still stricken by the news. He sat at the table, head resting on steepled fingers, apparently lost in thought, assumedly trying to think of a plan to keep Jaune around.

Ms. Nikos, however, seemed more disappointed than anything else. A sigh leaving her lips as she sipped her morning coffee.

"You should've told us Jaune." He hung his head, eyes meeting the wooden finish of the table.

"I know and I'm sorry. I was so busy trying to think of a way out of it, that I didn't bother to ask for help from those around me. I thought I could handle it myself" Another exhale from the older woman, steam drifting from her cup.

"Nothing to be done about it now, just keep it in mind for the future. With your team, you're never have to do everything by yourself." He nodded, looking over to the woman. "As it stands, we probably have," She turned her head to the clock on the stove to her rear, reading five after seven "a few hours until they arrive." Jaune nodded, his family would here a little after two o'clock. "At least it's just your parents right?" Jaune's gaze returned to the table, it was a rather nice piece. Solid teak wood with a gorgeous finish. "Jaune." Her voice hardened, setting her coffee down. All eyes were back on him and his were still on the table. He wondered how it was kept so clean…? "It is JUST your parents, right?" The blond mumbled something into the wood. "Jaune." He brought his free hand up, running the fingers through his bedraggled hair.

"Not exactly…" He repeated, fear very present in his voice. Nora had released his arm and returned to her seat. Ren's eyes flashed with a look that said he was disappointed but not surprised. Sea green eyes burrowed into his skull, he swore he could feel his brain melting. She didn't even say anything, she just kept looking at him. "My family's kinda tight knit… and my parents might be bringing all of my sisters…" The latter half of sentence said at about the speed of light. It was Ren who broke the tense silence that had enveloped the room

"Why do you do this to us Jaune?" He could only shrug as he began to deeply inspect the kitchen table again. Maybe if he was forced to go home, he would take up woodworking…

The hours passed far faster than they should have, Jaune was convinced that the gods had conspired against him in this moment. After all able-bodied members of the household had showered and eaten, Jaune distributed information about his family to the group like his life depended on it. In all honesty, it just might come to that. He went in depth when it came to his parents. Stella Arc was not a large woman, barely measuring five feet tall. However, what she lacked in size she made up for in presence and volume. Her voice had been rumored to carry for several blocks. Jaune knew the truth however; it carried for miles. The blond recalled being on the receiving end of that voice more times than he cared to admit, always finding himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. Still though, she could be a very kind and understanding woman and always had her family's back. Even when he said he wanted to be a Huntsman, a decision he knew she didn't agree with, she supported his dream.

Andre Arc was a bit of a different story; Jaune took after him quite a bit. Same height, hair color, eyes, and disposition, albeit the elder Arc was more mature and developed. Where Jaune was lanky and awkward, Andre was strong and confident. He was a kind man who frequently let his children get away with minor transgressions, from stealing from the cookie jar to staying up past bedtimes. He was wrapped around his daughters' fingers and he knew it, he just didn't mind. It was one of the other things Jaune inherited from the man, an inability to say no to the women in his life. Gods help him if he has a daughter, or seven, of his own. He truly loved his parents, but they could be a bit smothering, a surprise considering how many children they had and how much attention was split but they found a way.

The Arc Sisters were a different story from Andre and Stella entirely. The oldest girl was Aurelia, at twenty-three. She was the spitting image of their mother but was closer to her father in height. She was also the most like momma Arc, the same loud voice, the same overbearing attitude and none of the tact that came with the older woman's experience. After her was Viridian or Viri for short. She was a nineteen and did everything in her power to _not_ be like Aurelia or her mother. When one of them said go right, she went left. When asked to clean her room, she threw everything under the bed and called it a day. Always the foul-mouthed, aggressive, non-conformist. Jaune came next but after him was Jade at sixteen. Easily the sister he most related to but not always the one he got along with the most. With neither of them known for being confrontational or blunt, their disputes were often passive aggressive but no less hurtful. Still though, she shared his dream of becoming a hero but not his desire to become a Huntsman, opting instead for a career in the military.

After Jade came twelve year old Shae. The outsider of the group, very much a girl who wanted to be left to her own devices. Well documented was her blunt, borderline rude, attitude and her mild superiority complex. Being as smart as she was didn't help any of this however, frequently scoring at the top of her classes. Next came the Twins, Magnolia and Lily at ten years old. They participated in the time honored tradition of switching names and clothes constantly to confuse others as well as pretending to be one another. Still, they were sweet girls but devious nonetheless. Finally though, was Marron. Easily Jaune's favorite sister, if it was possible to have one of those, Marron was an eight year old girl that was sweeter than anything on Remnant and she knew it. Whatever she wanted, she got it through puppy dog eyes or tears, she was the apple of the Arc Clan's eye. It was impossible to not like her and Jaune's relationship with her was easily the strongest, cracking the top three in terms of important women in his life, right after his mother and Pyrrha.

The group had congregated in the living room for Jaune to expel all of this and as soon as he finished, there was a knock at the door. His heart hammered into his chest and his stomach was doing flips. They were here. He swallowed the bile that threatened to leave his mouth and waited as Ms. Nikos walked to the door. She turned and nodded her head to Jaune, who gave one back, as she opened the door with a big smile.

"Hello! You must be Jaune's family. It's so nice to see you; Jaune speaks very highly of you all." A scoff followed by a smack and a yelp was heard before his mother spoke.

"Likewise, we're sorry to intrude like this. Jaune mentioned that he was in another country and we were worried, I'm sure you understand as a mother yourself." Ms. Nikos nodded.

"Of course, of course. Please come in. Call me Hestia if you would." The Arc Clan shuffled in, filling the entire entryway. His mother nodded, turning to her family, who had all assembled in precise age order.

"Absolutely, please call me Stella." She motioned to her family. "This is my husband Andre." He offered a hand large enough that it could hardly be considered a hand, more along the lines of the paw of an Ursa. Ms. Nikos took it, giving a light squeeze.

"Nice to meet you Hestia, Thank you for taking care of our boy. I hope he wasn't any trouble." He father shot a look to his son, who sat halfway across the room, watching his family. That look promised many bad things should he have been anything less than perfect at a guest's home. Ms. Nikos laughed and smiled again.

"He's been a model house guest I can assure you." His father gave him a small smile and a nod. Momma Arc continued, naming each of his sisters. Jaune eventually did build up the courage to go to his family, who immediately pulled him into a hug that would've given one of Nora's a run for its money. Nine sets of arms all squeezing him caused him to inadvertently try to escape as solar flares of pain beamed through his ribs. To their credit, they did release him and his mother cupped his cheek, looking up at him.

"It's good to see you baby." He smiled through the pain, hand on his ribs, and gently pulled her into a much softer hug. An "aw" was heard from his back and he felt his face redden. He turned after his mother released him, gesturing to his team.

"You guys remember my team right?" Nora immediately sprouted up, sprinting towards the family, grabbing as many people as her small frame could. Which ended up being his father, two older sisters, and Marron and brought them into a patented Nora Hug. A gesture that they all returned save Viri, who looked like she wanted to be doing anything else. Nora turned to Jaune.

"I like your family Fearless Leader; they're a bunch of huggers!" Ren came over next, albeit much more slowly and calmly. He held a hand out to his mother.

"Lie Ren, pleased to finally meet you all." His mother took his hand, pulling him into her embrace, something Ren was more than accustomed too after being with Nora for so long. He returned the action. Jaune looked and shared a smile with Pyrrha, leaving his mother's side and moving to hers. He leaned down and kissed her cheek only to straighten up and see nine sets of eyes looking at him. His natural reaction had been to touch her when getting close, forgetting that his family didn't know of the development. It was the twins who spoke first, in stereo.

"So, this is why you wanted to stay in Mistral." You could hear the mischievous smile in their voices and both Jaune and Pyrrha went as red as the latter's hair. Ms. Nikos cleared her throat and brought her hands together.

"Why don't we all take a seat and discuss what we came together to talk about, shall we?" There were nods and all parties found a seat. The tension was growing thicker by the second. Jaune, and by the extension of her holding the appendage, Pyrrha, could feel his hands starting to get clammy. His mother was the first to speak.

"I don't think there is a lot to discuss, Ms. Nikos. We'll be leaving to go back to Ansel with Jaune this afternoon." Jaune felt his stomach fall into his feet and the squeezing of his hand from the redhead to his right. Ms. Nikos replied.

"With all due respect Mrs. Arc, I hardly think that's fair." Momma Arc shot her a hard look, cocking her head. Ms. Nikos continued, undeterred. "It doesn't exactly feel fair to pull the boy away from his team, his friends, and his girlfriend, to drag him back home without his say so."

"And I hardly see how it's fair to us for him to stay in another country, in a stranger's home, leaving us worried sick, to attend a new school in said new country, all without our input." When she said it like that, Jaune felt like the lowest being on Remnant. Was he really making them worry that much? Was he really being fair to them? The elder Nikos stepped up to defend him again.

"Why should anyone else have a say in what he does with his own life? He's an adult who can make adult decisions. All four of them, as well as every other student at Beacon, have suffered a tragic loss of life and purpose. Here, he can continue on in his path and follow his destiny to become a Huntsman." It was Viri who spoke next, mood worsening with each second.

"I dunno how things are done here in Mistral, but in Vale, we discuss life changing things with the people we're close to, ya know, our families?" Jaune felt Pyrrha squeeze his hand, he looked and saw the frustration in her eyes. She spoke next.

"He's talked to his family already: us." All eyes turned to the Champion. While Jaune was proud that she put her foot down, something she'd struggled with for as long as he'd known her, he'd wished she'd picked a better time. Surprisingly, it was Shae who replied.

"What would you know about family? Families are supposed to protect each other, you couldn't even protect yourself." The reason for the silence must have been because some cosmic being stole the air from the room, it had to be. Certainly not that Jaune's twelve year old sister just delivered the most personal insult possible to his girlfriend. If Pyrrha's Semblance was Telekinesis instead of Polarity, Shae might have been sent all the way to Vacuo. Instead, Jaune had to actually restrain Pyrrha by holding her in the chair, a monumental task even if she was injured. Shae stepped forward, apparently thinking this a fight she could win. Poppa Arc pulled her behind him, sighing and crouching down. Their conversation was hushed but Jaune picked up "too far" and "adults handle it." Shae was not satisfied with this answer but simply sighed, settling for crossing her arms. Jaune did get Pyrrha to stop moving, if for any reason than to not exacerbate her injuries. She was still fuming and the whole room had devolved into a shouting match between the Nikos family with Nora and an apparently very willing Ren, against the entire Arc Clan. He had to do something; this was getting way out of hand. Taking a deep breath and bracing his ribs for the coming agony, he wailed.

"STOP!" Silence consumed them all again and eyes all moved to him as he tried to catch his breath. The pain was intense but it had been worth it. "Everybody just, stop it. This is getting ridiculous. You're all right and you're all wrong." He turned to his family. "Guys, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how much you were all worried about me and I should have. I should have called you guys more often. I would've called when I was in the hospital but the CCT was down and I couldn't." He paused, letting his words sink in. He felt terrible for putting them through all of this and he knew he could've alleviated it at least a little. "Still though, Ms. Nikos isn't completely wrong." His mother began to argue but he put up his hands. "Please, hear me out Mom." She stopped, still ready to pounce on him given the chance. "I want to be a Huntsman; I've been working harder at this than I have with anything else in my life. Beacon's gone now." It still felt surreal to say it. Beacon Academy was no longer a campus let alone a viable school. "If I stay here in Mistral, I can go to Haven and keep my team. I can keep getting better and maybe be as good as Dad someday. If I can do this, I can make you guys proud of me." There was a moment where nothing happened. Then both of his parents crossed the room in an instant, squishing him in between the two of them. It was his father that spoke first.

"We've always been proud of you son. We always will be." His voice was shaking and Jaune felt tears hit the top of his head. He felt more on his shirt from his mother.

"I know it's going to be dangerous, I know it's going to be hard but I can do this. I know I can. I don't have to do it alone either, I've got the rest of my team to back me up and they know they've got me to do the same." He felt his mother sob into his chest and he squeezed her tighter. "Please guys, let me do this." His mother shifted her head, looking up to her husband. The tears were sliding down his cheeks, sapphire eyes sparkling. He nodded, the beginnings of a smile on his face. Immediately his mother drove her face back into her son's chest, openly sobbing.

"You have to call us every day! Tell us everything that happens OK?" Jaune smiled, nodding in agreement with whatever she said. "And you have to promise to be safe!" She kept going on for several more minutes and he agreed to every one of her demands, no matter how unreasonable they got. She pulled away though, wiping her eyes. Then she reached up and cupped his cheek. "We're so proud of you Jauney, we always were and always will be." he put his hand over hers and smiled. Jaune turned and spied that there wasn't a single dry eye in the room; Nora was lying across Ren, bawling while the black haired boy smiled, wiping his own tears away. Pyrrha covered her mouth as the water streamed down her face; her mother had joined her at her side, resting her daughter's head against her hip. Then he looked to his sisters. There was a mix of anger and pride in all of them so he made his way down the line.

Aurelia played it much like their mother had, forcing him into promises that were impossible to keep as she squeezed him like he was her favorite stuffed animal. Viri punched his arm with a smile on her face, something that used to sting like nothing else felt like a breeze thanks to Aura. She gave him a small hug, but it was more than enough. Jade smiled big and bright, shaking his hand and saluting him. He smirked, returning it and pulling her into his embrace. After Jade came Shae, there was a wetness in her eyes but she'd never admit it. True to form she gave him a one armed hug and told him to not die, basically an "I love you" from her. The twins grabbed each of his arms, excited smiles on their faces. Every time he came home he promised to bring them back souvenirs from wherever he was. In return he asked them to lighten up on the switching thing, make things easier for everyone. Naturally they refused, sticking their tongues out. He laughed, ruffling their hair. Finally, there was Marron. Who, with stoic determination and crossed arms, avoided his gaze.

"You're leaving us you big meanie." He dropped to one knee.

"I'm sorry Mare-bear but I've gotta get stronger so I can be like Dad." She gave him a side glance and he spied the wetness in her eyes, in a single motion, she moved and threw herself into his arms.

"No!" She began to really cry now. "Don't be like Daddy, he's big and smelly." From behind he heard a sniff followed by an "ew." "Come home with us and we can play all day! I'll even let you pick what we play! You don't have to be a horsey anymore, I'll do it! Just please don't go big brother, please don't go! I don't want you to!" Jaune felt his own tears coming back now as he held her close. A thought crossed his mind; go home with them, you'll find another dream. Jaune crushed that down, he had to do this. He didn't want to leave them but he had to. For Beacon, for Ozpin, for his Team, for Pyrrha, for himself. He spoke but he was shaking so much even he could barely understand it.

"I have to Marron, there's a big mean lady out there who hurt my friends. If I get stronger then I can stop her before she hurts other people and their friends. I promise when I come back and we can do whatever you want. I'll buy you ice cream, and we can go toy shopping, and to that arcade you love so much. There was silence from the girl for what felt like an eternity until she backed away, looking up at him.

"Can I get sprinkles?" He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"All the sprinkles you could ever want Mare-bear." She nodded, hugging him again.

"OK." He pulled away again.

"Tell you what." Jaune took his arms and removed the hoodie he had been wearing, placing over his youngest sister. "When you feel sad or start to miss me, wrap yourself up in my hoodie OK? It'll be like I'm still right there." She gave a gap-toothed smile. The hoodie enveloped her entire body but he knew she'd wear it at least until they got back to Ansel. Jaune stood up, turning back to his team. His father sniffled and spoke.

"I think it's time we get out of here and headed back home." There were nods all around and the elder Arc male turned to his son, pulling him close. "You be safe, alright?" Jaune nodded.

"You have my word." His father smiled.

"Good, an Arc never goes back on his word." He looked around at his shuffling family before leaning in and whispering to his son. "Congrats by the way." Jaune followed the man's gaze to Pyrrha and he blushed. "Any girl willing to stand up to your mother and sisters is a keeper boy, you be good to her." the boy nodded and put a hand out. The man stared at it for a second before ignoring it and pulling him into the tightest grasp yet, surpassing even Nora. Jaune did his best to give as good as he got but gave up halfway, accepting his fate. Finally, Jaune walked his family to the front door, giving final hugs and goodbyes. His mother snapped her fingers and pointed at one of her daughters.

"Shae, come here." A chorus of "Ooooohs" resonated from the group as she made her way to her mother's side. They both turned to the younger Nikos. "Is there something you want to say to Pyrrha?" Shae grumbled something which earned her a pinch from the woman. One yelp later, Shae repeated it.

"I'm sorry for what I said, I was angry and I let my emotions get the best of me." Pyrrha gave a small smiled and nodded.

"Apology accepted, I am sorry as well." It was Stella that spoke this time.

"Don't worry about it, we all got a bit out of hand there." She gave the girl a hard look. "You take care of my boy, you hear me? I get one word that you hurt him and there isn't a place on this planet that you can hide from me." Pyrrha paled and Ms. Nikos cleared her throat. His mother smiled, waving to the elder Nikos. "Thank you for having us Hestia, and I'm sorry again for everything that happened." Ms. Nikos smiled, it might not have been completely genuine but it did the trick.

"Of course, Stella, of course. Have a safe trip." Momma Arc nodded and closed the door behind her. Jaune let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and returned to his seat next to Pyrrha, placing an arm around her. Ms. Nikos cleared her throat again. "Now, about you two…" Jaune felt his stomach in his feet again, no rest for the weary.

 **A/N: So much hugging in this chapter, feels like I said it every other paragraph. Either way, i hope you all liked this chapter and I thank you again for your patience. Next chapter is the Finale and I'm so excited! I hope you guys are too. Hope you have a fantastic week and as always, may fortune favor you all.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Well, here it is all. The end of Destiny. Sorry this is coming out at the end of the day but my beta and I just got done going over this an hour ago. Please read the A/N at the end and be sure to leave a review. Give it a favorite it you really liked it. Enjoy.**

A week after his family had gone back home to Ansel, Jaune began training with his team again as his ribs had finally felt healed enough. Every morning the same routine, running followed by strength training and then sparring. Pyrrha and Jaune still had their evening training sessions albeit in the living room as opposed to the roof. She would still tutor him in many areas including, but not limited to, stance, form, tactics, kissing, hand placement, feigning, cuddling, blocking, dodging, and finally, more kissing. Soon, Jaune was feeling less like his old self but not in a bad way. He felt better, stronger, and more confident in himself. It was easy with Pyrrha around, she'd correct and criticize him when he was doing something wrong but it never felt malicious, it always felt like she was helping him grow, so he took her words to heart. Occasionally she'd go too far, coming off more like his mother than his girlfriend. These disagreements never lasted long and were few and far between, just another thing to keep getting better at.

A month after his family left, it was time to get Pyrrha back on her feet. Well, if not on her feet than onto crutches at least. A physical therapist would come by once a week or they'd head to the one just inside the City, and they'd work on getting up and down stairs, balance and general stamina. He never thought crutches would be as draining as they apparently were, especially for a Huntsman in training like Pyrrha but it appeared that despite what he said about her looking like an angel, she was human. It was at this point that the Champion, finally able to actually be with them when they all trained, turned into Coach Pyrrha. They knew they'd all be behind since they took time to recover and figure out exactly what they were doing but surely they had to be close to the first years at Haven right? He thought they'd wipe the floor with them since they'd had a year together already as well as actual experience fighting Grimm in the field thanks to the Breach and The Fall of Beacon. Still, the redhead stressed that you could never be too prepared, so they trained harder. More running, more weights, more sparring. At first, it was beyond exhausting, lasting most of the day and long into the night. Sleep was only a small refuge when it could be acquired. By the end though, Jaune could hold out well enough against Ren, not for as long as he'd like but Ren didn't wipe the floor with him anymore. Nora on the other hand, still absolutely dominated him. Being so much physically stronger than him and him only being marginally faster, Magnhild still shattered his Aura reserves like glass. Another thing to improve upon.

Nearly three months after his family had allowed him to stay in Mistral, it was time to send in the applications to Haven Academy as the deadline was closing in quickly. Quickly as in today quickly. Still, apparently Ms. Nikos knew someone in admissions and told them not to worry about it so long as all the applications were in before the deadline. Jaune could feel his body tense up as he stared at the form in front of him. All four members of the Team JNPR sat at the kitchen table, filling out the paperwork they needed. Getting their transcripts wasn't an option since they had no transcripts now. Still though, the thought of them was enough to send his anxiety into a tizzy. He shook it off as best he could, answering every question. He looked up to see Pyrrha filling hers out normally while Nora folded hers into a paper airplane that was doing battle with Ren, who was a noncombatant. He laughed quietly as the ginger made all kinds of plane sounds.

"Mayday Mayday! We're going down captain! We're taking on water!" Ren sighed as the paper plane smashed into his temple.

"Nora, planes don't have captains and don't take on water." She scoffed.

"They do if they crash into the water!" He shook his head but smiled, conceding to her point.

"Maybe you're right but you've got to fill that out right so you can go to Haven. It was your idea after all." She beamed at this and nodded, beginning to actually the paperwork at this point. On top of being the day they applied (and got accepted into) Haven, today also marked another special occasion; Pyrrha's last day of physical therapy. She usually insisted on going to these alone, wanting her team to be training and working rather than sitting and watching her. Naturally, Nora and Ren only did that a couple times and Jaune opted to go with her to every meeting, this would be no different. Since the place the therapy was held wasn't far, they decided to walk instead of taking a ride on the trolley that ran through the main parts of the City of Mistral. Pyrrha was all smiles throughout the trip, it was exciting to finally have their team back at one hundred percent and they could truly begin to move on. As long as one of them was hurt, that night hung over them like a malignant cloud, always in the back of their minds.

Jaune and Pyrrha's hands never separated on their walk as they discussed what they were going to do afterwards.

"I have an idea." Pyrrha raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend. "Let's go on a date. A real, honest to the gods date." A large smile found her face and she nodded.

"I'd love to. Did you have something in mind?"

He slowed, taking a look around the city. A mass of hills and valleys, dotted with various homes and businesses. His hand found his chin, rubbing it. There had to be a nice restaurant or something around in the city right? This was a city after all.

"Hmmm… how about we grab something to eat then go for a nice walk in the park?" Another wider smile found the redhead's face.

"That sounds wonderful. After this I'll go home and change and we can head out around six?" The blond nodded, taking out his Scroll. It was only noon now and by the time PT ended, it would be about two. That left him four hours to get everything together; plenty of time. He leaned over and kissed her cheek as the building came into view. He held the door as she walked in and they were greeted by the receptionist. The older woman ushered them both to the back where they met with Millie, Pyrrha's therapist. She was a middle aged woman, tall and broad shouldered with a mass of blonde curls on top of her head. A hawk-like nose protruded from her face but kind brown eyes gave a softness to her, that and the large smile she wore.

"Nice to see you again Pyrrha, Jaune." Both of them nodded, the redhead shaking the woman's hand. "How's your foot been feeling?" The girl smiled.

"Wonderful, it feels as good as new." The woman nodded.

"That's great news. Let's get this session done with so you can go back to training at one hundred percent and I can mark you down as a full recovery." Another nod and they made a turn into what would be considered a gym by most normal people's standards. Exercise bikes lined the back wall of the room, huddled next to rows of weights. Benches, and dumbbells, and barbells oh my! Jaune followed close behind Pyrrha, offering as much encouragement as he could as she worked. It was honestly amazing to him how far she'd come. It'd felt like just yesterday that she couldn't even walk and now she was back to her old self. Not just physically either, relying on others for so many things that most would consider trivial was taxing on her, it was obvious. Still, she grinned and bore it and would be stronger for what she went through.

After two hours of testing, running, jumping, calf raising, standing, and walking, the session ended. As she finished the last exercise the older woman beamed in delight and immediately rushed towards the redhead. She lifted her off the ground, spinning and shouting.

"I'm so proud of you! So so so so so so so proud! You're finally completely healed!" She spoke like she was speaking of her own child. Pyrrha, to her credit, simply smiled through it all, albeit awkwardly and covered in sweat. The woman did set her down after a few seconds. "I'm sorry, that was unprofessional of me." She cleared her throat and straightened her back. "Still, I'm very happy to say that as of today, Ms. Pyrrha Nikos, you have made a FULL recovery." A small smile spread across the Champion's face as well as Jaune's. He shared in the older woman's sentiment but knew how much Pyrrha disliked being touched when she was that damp.

As the session ended, the couple made their way home. As momentous as this day was, a more important one loomed in the coming week; The first day of their new lives at Haven academy. It consumed Jaune's thoughts on their walk on as the two walked in comfortable silence. How different was this going to be from Beacon? They'd already talked with the headmaster via Scroll and he understood the desire to stay together as a team so he assured them that they would remain Team JNPR. They would, however, still have to pass initiation. He never mentioned what that was but there was a smirk on his face as he said it. It must be a headmaster thing as Ozpin shared that look when he brought up initiation. Before he knew it, they were back home where they shared a kissed and parted to get ready for their date. In that moment, Jaune did the one thing he knew he shouldn't have done; he panicked. He suggested that they get dinner, then go for a stroll in the park. He didn't know if there were any even of those things in the City of Mistral! He'd felt so clever at the time and then she'd said yes and he got so excited that he never even considered the idea that those wouldn't be available options. He was still so used to Vale, where all of those things were within walking distance of their dorms. Jaune had to think of something quickly. Another thought entered his head; what was he going to wear!? He had to call somebody.

"Hey Mom." Her face was framed by blonde locks, eyes sparkling.

"Hi baby, how've you been? It's been too long since we talked." Jaune ran a hand through his hair, smiling.

"It's been three days Mom, not that long." She sighed but her smile didn't falter.

"Any day not talking to my favorite son is too long." She gave a light laugh. "I imagine though that this isn't a social call." Jaune shook his head and felt his nerves begin to shake again. Momma Arc picked up on this, she always did. "What's wrong Jauney? Is that Pyrrha girl not treating you right?" Jaune spied movement and heard shuffling. "I knew it, I'll be there in a few hours, don't worry baby, mommy's coming." Jaune held up a hand.

"No mom, she's treating me fine. You don't need to come over and take her head or whatever you were going to do." She appeared disappointed at his words but stopped moving. "It is about her though." She sat down, giving her undivided attention. "You see, I asked her out to go on a proper date tonight since he actually haven't done that yet with her ankle and with all the Haven application stuff." A sigh escaped his lips again. "I even gave a plan for what to do tonight but I never even considered that any of my suggestions were in town! On top of that what do I even wear on a date? Do I have to go buy a suit? With a first date do I dress casually? I've never done this before, what do I do?" Now that he said it aloud, it sounded absolutely ridiculous. This was Pyrrha, she knew what was in the city and she'd have said if any of that wasn't in the city when he suggested it. He was ripped from his thoughts by laughter; deep, hearty, unrestrained laughter, all from his mother. Jaune let it go, he could only imagine how stupid it sounded to her. Still, it didn't feel good to be laughed at by family, even if it was well deserved. A minute ticked by the embarrassment was starting to give way to frustration. "Yes yes, it's all very funny. If you're not gonna help, I'll figure it out myself." The laughs slowed and she held a hand up.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm not laughing at you I promise." He crossed his arms, not buying it for a second. "It's just that you're being ridiculous." His head drooped but he nodded. "Pyrrha cares about you a lot right?" He gave a nod in reply. "Then where you go won't matter. It's about enjoying each other's company. She'd be just as happy at a fancy restaurant than at a diner, as long as you two are together. She's from Mistral correct?" Another nod. "Then I can't imagine she'd let you make a suggestion that she knew would be impossible. You're overthinking this Jaune." He sighed, all she did was confirm thoughts he already had but it did make him feel better to have someone else say them. It made the words feel more real than when he simply said them in his own head. She continued. "You know, after we left we went to a cute Vacuoan little place not fifteen minutes from the house, the food was good as was the atmosphere. Your father and I said that if we ever come back, we'd need to go on a date there. Maybe you could take her there for dinner." Jaune turned his head up back to his Scroll, smiling.

"Thanks mom, for everything." She smiled.

"Of course baby. Any time you need some help or just someone to talk to, we're a Scroll call away." She forwarded directions to the restaurant and nodded. It was times like this that Jaune missed being home the most. He missed that atmosphere of controlled chaos around the house. All the yelling and shouting, the fighting and bickering. Not things you'd think you'd miss but he did. It all felt like home. At the end of the day, everyone would gather around the table and they'd have a massive family dinner together. This happened as often as they could and it was the thing he missed the most about home in Ansel. He could feel tears beginning to well up but he wiped them away quickly, hoping that his mother didn't notice. If she did, she didn't say anything. "As for what to wear tonight, go with some nice, CLEAN jeans, and a button up shirt." The stress on the word clean made him blush a little. He made a mental note to wash his pants after he got off the Scroll. "It's not super formal and you can get away with wearing it anywhere. Plus it won't put too much pressure on her, which is important. You've got to remember, she's going to be just as nervous as you are." Jaune nodded again.

"You're right, thanks mom." She smiled again.

"I'm always right sweetie." The two shared a laugh and Jaune looked over to a clock on the nightstand.

"I've gotta go. Still need to get ready and all that." The older woman nodded.

"Of course baby, have fun and be safe OK?" He nodded. "Love you." The blond Huntsman smiled again.

"Love you too." He hung up and fell back onto the bed he'd been resting on. He knew he had no time to waste. With a grunt, he rolled out of bed and onto his feet. Making his way to the closet, he picked out a shirt as well as a pair of jeans, though he wasn't sure if they were clean. They passed the sniff test but that didn't mean a whole lot. Taking the jeans down to the wash he opted to plan out the evening and then shower while his pants were in the dryer. Jaune was determined to have this night go perfectly, He had to be confident, that's what dad always said.

Naturally, things did not go perfectly. Firstly, Jaune had forgotten to actually turn ON the dryer before hopping in the shower so his nice jeans, while clean, were perfectly soaked. Secondly, the shirt was missing several buttons, forcing him to leave the top undone. This gave him the look of a discount Spruce Willis, without the charisma. After that. Jaune had managed to lose one of his shoes as well as his Scroll. It was at this point he wondered if he had accidentally incurred the wrath of some long forgotten Luck God because he couldn't think of any other reason for things to fall apart this quickly at this specific moment. Scrounging around the house in one shoe, dirty jeans, and a half buttoned shirt. He must've looked a mess to the other members of the house who all stared at him as he upturned couch cushions and peered under tables. It was Ren who eventually stopped him and asked what was going on.

"Pyrrha and I have a date in" the clock stared back, mocking him as it showed five fifty-one "nine minutes and I can't find my shoe, my Scroll, or a shirt that has all the buttons!" He flipped another cushion, the same one he'd turned three times now, and threw his head back, moaning in frustration. He heard Ren sigh and felt a hand on his shoulder. Jaune turned to see the pink eyed boy holding his Scroll. "My Scroll! Thanks Ren, thank you so much. Where was it?" The boy put his other hand on Jaune's other shoulder.

"It was in your back pocket." Jaune felt his heart fall into his shins as his eyes found the floor. "Jaune, look at me." He peered up at his teammate. "You've got to relax."

"How can I-" Ren put a hand over his mouth.

"Relax. Take a deep breath." Jaune sighed and did so, inhaling for four seconds and exhaling the same amount of time. "Yes this is a date and it's normal to be nervous but this is with Pyrrha. Someone you already like and have known for nearly a year at this point. She knows you and you know her. Just breathe, calm down, and things will be fine." Jaune tried this, taking several more deep breaths. It was working. His heart rate was coming down and he was thinking clearer. After a couple more breaths he stopped, nodding.

"Thanks Ren, you're right. It's Pyrrha right? I've got nothing to be nervous about…" As he said the words, he heard footsteps descend the stairs, his vision followed the noise and his tongue heart started right back up again. There wasn't a person on Remnant who didn't think Pyrrha Nikos was gorgeous. In her battle corset and boots she was the picture of glory and victory. With her hair tied back and circlet shining bright, she looked like a Goddess of War when she moved on the battlefield. He thought he'd seen it all at Beacon but she only ever wore her school uniform, which consisted of a blazer and checkered skirt, and that same battle uniform. The thought of her in casual clothes never crossed his mind. Even when he'd seen her in them, like she'd been wearing since she got out of the hospital, she'd looked fantastic, he thought his Champion could never look better. It seems he was mistaken.

Her hair, normally kept in a ponytail, was now allowed to flow in what appeared to Jaune to be a waterfall of scarlet tresses, each lock looking perfect, even as they bounced with her movement. A speckled cream shirt covered by a red cardigan. Following down, she wore a black skirt, black tights, and flats. All in all, she looked jaw dropping and Jaune was having just that reaction. He became acutely aware of how underdressed and stupid he felt. Here he was, in one shoe, ratty old blue jeans, and a white button up shirt that was missing at least four buttons, allowing his undershirt to be much more visible than he'd have liked. Pyrrha smiled and blushed at him as she descended the steps.

"Hello Jaune, you look great." He realized he was being spoken too but all words failed him in that moment save one.

"Wow." Her smile grew, as did her blush. Jaune felt a hand on his shoulder again, this one smaller but its grip much tighter.

"What he means is you look beautiful, dear." Ms. Nikos tightened her grip and leaned in, whispering in his ear. "If you are anything but a perfect gentlemen tonight, I will know and you will regret it." He paled significantly. It was something he knew was coming but didn't expect in this moment. She perked up, a smile finding her face again as she spoke. "You two should hop to it, don't want to be late on your first date do you?" Pyrrha nodded at Jaune.

"Yea, you're right. Just let me find my shoe…" It was gone, swallowed up by the universe. He checked over by where his other shoe had been, by the front door when a force slammed into the back of his head. The unknown force drove his face into the wall. Aura dissipated most of the pain but there was no Aura for your pride.

"Here's your shoe back Jaune~" A voice sang through the air. It was Nora. He turned, hand holding his head, and picked up his shoe before slipping it on. He was about to thank her when a thought entered his mind.

"Nora, why did you have my shoe?" A mischievous smile grew onto her face before she threw her head back and cackled like a manic witch.

"I was performing dark experiments that required your shoe." He groaned, why couldn't he just have a normal date with his girlfriend? "Fear not Fearless Leader, for your shoe remains unharmed." He shook his head, reaching out and taking Pyrrha's hand.

"You know what Nora? I don't care. Thanks for giving it back but we've got to go." He opened the door and out they walked. As they descended the front steps, Ms. Nikos shouted into the night.

"Be back by ten and remember what I said Jaune." Chills cascaded down his spine, like the temperature had dropped fifty degrees. The couple waved back at the woman, making their way down the sidewalk. As they left view of everyone, a sigh of relief both exited their mouths simultaneously, causing them both to giggle. Jaune spoke.

"I know I didn't say it, but your mom was right. You look amazing." Her cheeks reddened.

"Thank you, you really do look good as well." A smile was shared and their hands clasped together, Jaune led the way, following his mother's directions. It was only a fifteen minute walk to the restaurant. "Where are we going to be eating tonight?" He turned.

"Well, my parents mentioned a little Vacuoan place called Oum's not far from the house. I figured it'd be worth a shot." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"That sounds wonderful." They made their way to the establishment, though it took them an extra ten minutes because Jaune got turned around. Twice. Still, they did get there and were greeted by a fairly small building. Large front windows with a sign above the front door. "Oum's Vacuoan Cuisine." Inside, they were greeted by the hostess, a pretty blonde girl dressed in black. She flashed Jaune a smile, which caused Pyrrha to squeeze his arm. She seated the couple by one of the front windows by the door, they were given menus and the girl returned to her post. A young man in a black shirt and dark slacks made his way to the table as they perused the menus. His hands clasped behind his back and spoke, looking from Jaune to Pyrrha.

"Evening folks, my name's Silver and I'll be your serv-" He stopped suddenly, eyes growing wide. "Oh my gods… You're Pyrrha Nikos!" Jaune watched as she tensed. It was subtle, probably not something that would be picked up by those not familiar with her. Small shoulder adjustments, flashes of nervousness and frustration across the eyes. It was gone in a second and she put on a smile that begged for the man to leave.

"Hello. Always nice to meet a fan." His hands came to his mouth, covering it as he spoke.

"OhwowthisisamazingI'msuchahugefancanIgetyourautograph?!" It all came out in a jumbled mess but the blond Huntsman could make a decent guess at what he said. Pyrrha nodded and gestured to his notepad and pen. His hands shook like leaves in a hurricane, She took the pen and pad, scribbling down a signature, if it could even be called that. It looked more like a mass of squiggles and lines but he wasn't going to say anything. Silver took the pad back, devolving into a fit of smiles, giggles, and hyperventilation. After several very awkward seconds, he collected himself enough to form normal human words. "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means! I've been watching you fight since your first entry into the tournaments."

"I'm glad I put on a good show. Again, it's always great to meet a fan." She just wanted him to leave and another server to come back out. It was a plain on her face as the green in her eyes. Jaune couldn't help but notice how they were flaring in frustration; was it bad that he found it kind of hot? Silver looked away from the autograph and over to Jaune.

"Oh I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt dinner with your agent, my bad." Agent? Would an agent really show up in a half done up shirt? That hardly seemed professional in his eyes. He was about to ask but felt something shift in the air. Pyrrha wasn't just getting annoyed, she was getting mad. Jaune tried to diffuse the situation quickly.

"I'm not her agent, I'm her boyfriend. If we could just get our drinks that'd be-" The man scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Sure, you're her boyfriend and I'm Spruce Willis." That did it, emeralds burst into a blazing inferno. This could end very badly, again Jaune attempted to salvage the situation. He reached across the table and took her hand, Gods she was cute when she was mad. Especially when it wasn't directed at him. His hand seemed to help, if only a little, as the forest fire was reduced to a house fire, the problem was better but they were very much not out of the woods. Through gritted teeth, Pyrrha spoke.

"I think we'd like to request a new server." To Silver's credit, he seemed to take the hint. That, or he felt his life slipping away from him, and made his way to the other side of the restaurant. Her eyes followed him as he left until he was out of sight. As soon as this happened, the Champion exhaled a breath and visibly relaxed. She looked up to Jaune, now much more pensive than before. "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't ruin the mood." The blond smirked and shook his head.

"Ruined? That was awesome! I thought he was going to burst into flames for a second. I mean yea, it wouldn't have looked good to beat a waiter to death in public but that was amazing. You're somehow even prettier than usual when you're mad." She blushed, raising a hand and brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. A minute later, a middle aged faunus woman came back. Her large rabbit ears were twitching and she kept wringing her hands.

"Hi folks." She turned to Pyrrha. "I'm very sorry about Silver Ms. Nikos. Please accept our apologies." The redhead simply nodded, sighing.

"It's fine. I'm sorry as well, I should have handled that better." The woman shook her head.

"Either way, this meal is completely on us. Dessert as well." The Huntsmen in training locked eyes and nodded. The woman visibly relaxed, a small smile appeared on her face. "I'm glad to hear it. Now, my name's Sapphire and I'LL be your server tonight." The stress on the word caused Jaune to chuckle inwardly. "Can I start you both off with drinks?"

From the time Sapphire took over, things went very smoothly. Their drinks came out quickly, water for Pyrrha, always one to take the healthier option while Jaune opted for root beer. Dinner was fantastic, Jaune's tri-tip steak was simply divine as was Pyrrha's yogurt marinated chicken. Naturally, they'd shared, feeding each other and only making a small mess. A small measure of vengeance on the establishment that had earned their ire. Dessert, which consisted of chocolate drizzled baklava, had also been shared. The evening had been good, the altercation with Silver notwithstanding, they even opted to leave a tip. It was eight o'clock by the time they left the restaurant and they made their way to a nearby park.

The sun had just about set as they strolled down the path, hand in hand. The pace was slow, simply out enjoying each other's company. The weather was gorgeous, despite that, the park was surprisingly empty. The couple came to a small resting area, taking a seat on the bench. Pyrrha's head rested on his shoulder and his head lay atop her. From there, they could just catch the tail end of the setting sun and watch the moon take its place. Jaune shifted, placing a kiss upon her temple. She giggled and exhaled.

"Thank you Jaune." He raised an eyebrow.

"For what?" She was quiet for a beat, their eyes still facing moon now making its way into the night sky.

"For everything. For saving me back at Beacon, for helping me recover from my injury, for being my first real friend, for being you." She moved her head, leaning up and kissing him softly. The blond had no words, were there any to even say? Didn't feel right to be silent though so he gave it a shot as their lips parted.

"I'd do it all again if I had to." She smiled and set her head on his arm again.

"I know, and I'd do the same for you." Another kiss for her temple and more silence. This was different though, it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It was nice, it felt right. Like the planets and stars had aligned, allowing this one perfect moment to come to fruition. It seems the universe had thrown him a bone for once, he wasn't going to complain.

"I love you." She squeezed his hand, tracing circles on his knuckles. Pyrrha didn't say it back but she didn't need to. The comfortable silence had taken hold and Jaune looked up, expecting to see thousands of stars dotting the night sky. In keeping in turn with Jaune Arc Luck however, up above was only blackness as the light of the City of Mistral kept any hopes of stars at bay. He couldn't help but laugh, and laugh he did. Slowly at first but it grew. Pyrrha's gaze turned to the sky, trying to find out what was so funny. The girl on his arm raised her head and then an eyebrow at him. He wiped a tear from his eyes and shook his head, leaning down to kiss her again. She didn't fight it, melting into him as they fell into a rhythm as if they'd done this their entire lives. Time passed, didn't matter how much, but pass it did. The night had to come to a close at some point and they slowly broke apart. It was Pyrrha who spoke.

"We should be getting home soon. Tomorrow we've got to start packing for Haven." With a sigh, Jaune nodded. Haven was a week away, they were but a mere seven days from starting over again. Well, not truly starting over. They weren't going it alone this time. Nora and Ren didn't just have each other anymore. Pyrrha and he both had help as well. They weren't alone anymore, they had each other and that was more than enough.

That last week had passed by in a blur of motion and chaos. Naturally, the packing hadn't gone smoothly as clothes were found, lost, then found again. Chargers and Scrolls were put away, then unpacked, then forgotten, and put away again. Still, they made it. Ms. Nikos had escorted them during the Bullhead ride to Haven Academy. So many things were passing through Jaune's head that he didn't even get motion sick. Maybe he was finally over it! They touched down just outside the grounds. As they exited, Ms, Nikos called for their attention. She held a Scroll up, showing the Arc Clan in all their glory. Well, as much glory as can be shown on a single screen. It was Jaune's mother who spoke first.

"Let me be the first to say that we're so proud of all of you! You're all going to do amazing things while you're at Haven." Ms. Nikos nodded, beaming with pride.

"All of you, please be safe and learn everything you can." She put the Scroll down and reached forward, snagging all members of Team JNPR in her embrace. The Arc family could be heard complaining about not being able to see what was happening but they paid it no mind for now. "Go now, go and do great things. It's your destiny." A single hug for all of them one that included a kiss on the cheek for her daughter. The team turned and stared at the structure that would be their home for the foreseeable future, the sound of the Arc family could still be heard as they moved away. The only thing they could see from the main gate was the main building. An impressive landmark with an equally impressive clock face at the top of its steeple. Team JNPR clasped hands at they entered the premises. Jaune could feel excitement beginning to well up. This was going to be great! It was then though, that the blond Huntsman felt his stomach do a familiar flip.

"Oh no... " Before anyone could even ask what he meant, Jaune Arc, the leader of Team JNPR, Teammate and comrade to Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie, boyfriend of Pyrrha Nikos, wretched forward, vomiting on his own shoes. Seems he hadn't outgrown his motion sickness. Some things just never change.

 **A/N: It's done! It's all finally done! I'm so beyond ecstatic about this. I really liked how this turned out. To think this all started because I was trying to get a friend to watch Volume 1 and had an idea spring into my head. I need to thank all of you. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to everyone who read, followed, favorited, and reviewed. I wrote all of this for you guys and I hope it's everything you wanted it to be. Thank you all for sticking with me and I hope you'll still be here when I start my new project in the coming months. I love each and every one of you. Even you, guy who told me to get over Pyrrha being dead, I love you as well. Have a wonderful day and as always, May Fortune Favor You All. – Phil**


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